AFTER A FIVE-year absence, the IRFU have restarted the sevens programme. The code is a very enjoyable spectator sport so Irish rugby fans should benefit from a competitive side, but Ireland will have to start off at the lowest rung of the ladder.
While sevens chief Anthony Eddy is in the process of putting together a squad at the moment, Ireland are due to take part in Division C of the European Championships this summer in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The players Eddy will choose from have different backgrounds – it will be a mix of academy players, club rugby guys and exceptional talents from other sports – but we thought it would be fun to pick a sevens dream team from current professional players.
We reckon this roster could perform pretty well on the circuit.
1. Robbie Henshaw (prop)
Henshaw is perfect for a sevens prop. His frame (6ft 3 and 16 stone) is ideal for holding his own at scrum-time and his speed and handling skills mean he will be just as effective in attack. Were Henshaw actually to give sevens a chance, it would develop his offloading nicely, which would make him even more devastating at centre.
2. Sean O’Brien
O’Brien demonstrated against France that if not able, he is certainly willing to throw into the lineout and with a little more practice we reckon his darts could become razor-sharp.
And there’s also the prospect of Sean O’Brien marauding around the field doing Sean O’Brien things.
3. Cian Healy
Healy is our wildcard. He might be a bit too proppy for sevens rugby but at the same time, along with O’Brien, there isn’t a more dynamic ball carrier in Ireland. He would probably be best utilised in short bursts.
4. Kieran Marmion
Conor Murray is the best all-round scrum-half in Ireland but Marmion’s set of skills is perfect for the seven man game. What doesn’t bode well for our team is that Marms burnt Healy earlier in the year en route to the line… I’m sure it was just an aberration.
But what we do know is that our scrum-half can link well with our other prop.
5. Ian Madigan
Murray and Sexton might be the best half-backs in the world but neither make it into our sevens selection. Madigan’s array of chips and rocket passes would create a lot of space for the speedsters outside him. The sort of risks that are seen as a liability in the 15-man game would become an asset here.
6. Luke Fitzgerald
Oh, the footwork! Watching Fitzgerald explode off both feet, leaving a trail of defenders tackling invisible men would be extremely enjoyable. The utility back has always shown a great ability to anticipate where his team-mates are going to be in order to receive an offload, which is invaluable in sevens.
7. Craig Gilroy
Simon Zebo and Keith Earls could both be included instead but we went for the Ulster wing whose specialty is tries from long-range. In sevens a lot of tries are scored in the first few phases and Gilroy routinely ghosts through space in the opposition defence, no matter where he is on the field.
Subs: Tommy O’Donnell, Simon Zebo, Keith Earls, Stuart Olding and Eoin Reddan.
That’s our team, but who would be in your Irish sevens dream team?
