Squads Gather For Guangzhou Sevens In China
The Ireland squad are completing their final preparations ahead of the Guangzhou Sevens tournament this weekend, which is the fourth leg of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series.
Thunder, lightning and heavy rainfall have been frequent visitors to southern China this week, but have not dampened the spirits of the 12 participating teams.
All squads are now in for this weekend’s competition and the final touches are being put in place at the University Town Stadium, where the action kicks off on Saturday morning at 10am local time/3am Irish time.
Ireland head coach Jon Skurr has named three series debutants – Martina McCarthy, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Katie Fitzhenry – in his tournament squad. They will face Australia, England and Fiji in Pool B.
Click here to view the full squad lists for the Guangzhou Sevens.
All the games from the fourth round of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series will be streamed live on wsws.irb.com on Saturday and Sunday.
The captains from the competing sides are pictured above with the trophy – Huriana Manuel (New Zealand), Guan Qi Shi (China), Fanny Horta (France), Nadezhda Kudinova (Russia), Elisabeth Martinez Garcia (Spain), Rusila Nagasau (Fiji), Amelia Villines (USA), Carla Barbosa (Brazil), Sharni Williams (Australia), Abi Chamberlain (England), Jen Kish (Canada) and Ireland’s own Shannon Houston.
Having recovered from minor strains, scrum half Nicole Cronin and vice-captain Claire Keohane return to the Ireland squad this week.
Keohane is the only member of the current panel who played in last year’s Guangzhou Sevens where Ireland – bolstered by eight Grand Slam winners – won the Plate title.