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Ireland name their 2023/24 men’s and women’s sevens squads
James Topping and Allan Temple-Jones have named their respective men’s and women’s sevens squads for the 2023/24 season which begins in Dubai in December and continues through to the Olympic Games in Paris in July.
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Terry Kennedy, the World Rugby sevens players of the year for 2022, is back in the mix after his year away from Topping’s squad, while Vikki Wall, a two-time Gaelic football All-Ireland winner and Aussie rules player, has been included by Temple-Jones after joining the sevens programme in August.
A statement read: “The Ireland men’s and women’s sevens squads, sponsored by TritonLake, have been announced for the 2024 season. With just two weeks to go until the HSBC SVNS season opener in Dubai, men’s head coach James Topping and women’s head coach Allan Temple-Jones have confirmed their 19-player centralised squads as the build-up to the 2024 Olympics begins in earnest.
“The new-look HSBC SVNS Series kicks off at the Dubai Sevens Stadium from December 2-3, the first of eight double-header tournaments culminating in the first ever Grand Final in Madrid in May.
“Both Ireland squads have already secured qualification for Paris 2024, Temple-Jones’ side doing so through last season’s World Series, while the Ireland men booked their Olympic ticket by winning last summer’s European Games in Krakow.
Let's get this party started! ?
The pools have been announced for the first stop on the brand new #HSBCSVNS?
#HSBCSVNSDXB | @Dubai7s pic.twitter.com/h7w69C0RsG
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) November 7, 2023
“Harry McNulty has been confirmed as the men’s sevens captain, while Lucy Mulhall will lead the women’s sevens. There are nine Olympians from Tokyo 2020 included in the men’s sevens panel with Terry Kennedy – the World Rugby men’s sevens player of the year 2022 – returning to the centralised squad after a year out last season.
“Mulhall captains an experienced women’s squad as they prepare for their debut Olympic appearance, while Alanna Fitzpatrick and Amy Larn have been rewarded with national sevens contracts for the first time having progressed through the high performance pathway, most recently winning their senior debuts at Rugby Europe in Hamburg last July.
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“Vikki Wall, the two-time All-Ireland football championship winner with Meath who also enjoyed a spell in the AFLW with North Melbourne, has been in the national sevens programme since August, featuring in pre-season tournaments in Dublin and Elche.
“The Ireland men’s and women’s sevens squads for Dubai will be announced next week, while men’s and women’s development teams will also travel to Dubai to compete in the International Invitational Tournament, providing all players in the programme with access to early-season game time.
“From Dubai, the HSBC SVNS 2024 moves on to Cape Town (December 9-10) before Perth takes centre stage from January 26-28. All SVNS tournaments will be played as combined men’s and women’s events, with Vancouver (February 23-25), Los Angeles (March 2-3), Hong Kong (April 5-7) and Singapore (May 3-5) preceding the Grand Final in Madrid (May 31-June 2).”
Topping said: “It has been a very positive pre-season period for the squad as we have got through a good body of work here at the IRFU high performance centre, whilst also testing ourselves in match situations in Elche and most recently in Malaga.
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“We have strong experience in our centralised squad and competition for places will be high throughout the season as we build towards Paris 2024. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead but the focus now is for us to achieve progression and consistency in our performances, starting at the HSBC SVNS Series opener in Dubai.”
Temple-Jones added: “We are delighted to confirm the centralised squad ahead of a significant season for the Ireland Sevens programme. The players have worked hard during a long pre-season period and I know the entire group are relishing the challenges ahead, determined to maximise our potential on the world and Olympic stage.”
Introducing the official @Ireland7s account! ?
Follow us on the journey to Paris 2024!#Ireland7s pic.twitter.com/Usr92QG31k
— Ireland 7s (@Ireland7s) November 15, 2023
Ireland men’s sevens 2024 squad: Niall Comerford, Jordan Conroy, Sean Cribbin, Billy Dardis, Ed Kelly, Jack Kelly, Terry Kennedy, JJ Kenny, Hugo Lennox, Matt McDonald, Harry McNulty, Bryan Mollen, Gavin Mullin, Chay Mullins, Dylan O’Grady, Aaron O’Sullivan, Connor O’Sullivan, Mark Roche, Zac Ward.
Ireland women’s sevens 2024 squad: Kathy Baker, Claire Boles, Megan Burns, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Katie Heffernan, Erin King, Lucinda Kinghan, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Emily Lane, Amy Larn, Kate Farrell McCabe, Anna McGann, Lucy Mulhall, Beibhinn Parsons, Aoibheann Reilly, Vikki Wall.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
35 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
1 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
33 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
33 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
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