Ireland Sevens Squads Selected For Toulouse Leg

The Ireland Women are coming off the back of successive World Series podium finishes, claiming silver in Seville and then bronze in Langford last time out.

Aiden McNulty’s young side will be bidding to continue their impressive run of form at Stade Ernest Wallon from Friday through to Sunday’s play-offs.

Currently sitting fifth in the overall World Series standings, Ireland will face England, Brazil and hosts France in the sixth and concluding leg of the 2022 campaign, with head coach McNulty selecting a 13-player squad for the France Sevens event.

Lucy Mulhall once again captains the squad as McNulty retains consistency in selection from Langford earlier this month. The only change to the panel from Canada sees Anna McGann replace Béibhinn Parsons, who has been ruled out of the tournament through injury.

Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe is on 32 tries for the season, eight ahead of Australia’s Charlotte Caslick, and can cap another magical campaign by clinching the World Series Top Try Scorer award for the second time this weekend.

The Ireland Women begin the Toulouse tournament against England on Friday at 11.20am local time/10.20am Irish time, before facing Brazil later that evening at 9.35pm local time/8.35pm Irish time.

McNulty’s charges conclude the pool stages against France on Saturday at 11.20am local time/10.20am Irish time.

The Ireland Women are firmly in contention for a first ever top three World Series finish, with Mulhall and her team-mates battling it out with France and the USA for the 2022 Series silver and bronze medals behind Australia, who have already sealed the title.

Commenting ahead of the tournament, McNulty said: “We are all excited to be heading to Toulouse with a great deal to play for. We have another opportunity to back up our bronze medal finish in Langford and the opportunity to win an overall World Series medal.

“We have been delighted with our preparations this week, basing ourselves in Marcoussis where we have been able to train against some world class opposition.

“We have stayed consistent with our squad selection due to some really strong individual performances, however we know that our team performance will need to continue to improve if we are going to compete for gold.”

The Ireland Men, meanwhile, return to World Series action in Toulouse this weekend before the second leg of back-to-back tournaments in London on May 28-29.

Head coach James Topping has named a 13-player squad brimming with experience. Captain Billy Dardis leads the team, with the likes of Harry McNulty, Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy, Bryan Mollen and Jack Kelly among the eight Olympians included.

Currently fifth after six rounds, Topping’s men have been placed in Pool D alongside South Africa (Friday, 12pm local time/11am Irish time), Samoa (Friday, 6.50pm local time/5.50pm Irish time) and Spain (Saturday, 12pm local time/11am Irish time).

All matches are live on the World Rugby stream here, while there will be extensive coverage throughout the weekend on Irish Rugby social media channels, across Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (HSBC France Sevens, Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse, May 20-22, 2022):

Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Brittany Hogan (Ballynahinch RFC/Old Belvedere RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)
Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC) (capt)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC).

IRELAND MEN’S SEVENS Squad (HSBC France Sevens, Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse, May 20-22, 2022):

Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers RFC)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC) (capt)
Sean Kearns (Ireland Sevens)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Harry McNulty (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College RFC)
Chay Mullins (IQ Rugby)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Tom Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Andrew Smith (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC)

IRELAND SEVENS Schedule (HSBC France Sevens, Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse, May 20-22, 2022):

Friday, May 20:

• Ireland Women v England, 11.20am local time/10.20am Irish time
• Ireland Men v South Africa, 12pm local time/11am Irish time
• Ireland Men v Samoa, 6.50pm local time/5.50pm Irish time
• Ireland Women v Brazil, 9.35pm local time/8.35pm Irish time

Saturday, May 21:

• Ireland Women v France, 11.20am local time/10.20am Irish time
• Ireland Men v Spain, 12pm local time/11am Irish time

Sunday, May 22:

• Play-Offs

All matches live on the World Rugby stream here.