Alicante is lovely this time of year: Here are the men and women's 7s squads for this weekend

Both sides will take on Spain, Portugal and France this week, while the women will also face England.

IRELAND MEN AND Women have named their Sevens squads for this weekend’s Il Toreno tournament in Alicante, Spain.

Both sides have been achieving rapid progression in the short form of rugby and with Olympic qualification still up for grabs, IRFU Sevens director Anthony Eddy is hoping to see those selected hit the ground running after off-season.

“Last season we achieved two key objectives, the women qualified for the World Series and the men moved up to Division A in Europe,” says Eddy.

“The two squads have been working hard in the off season so this tournament is a good chance to get back on the field and measure our progress.”

Ireland Women have five confirmed fixtures before the play-off stage of the tournament with clashes against Portugal, England and Spain in store from 16.20 on Friday afternoon before they meet a France and a Spanish development squad on Saturday morning.

Ireland Women’s Sevens squad:

Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/ Ulster)
Megan Williams (St Marys)
Audrey O’Flynn (Sevens)
Emma Murphy (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Kim Flood (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Shannon Houston (Blackrock/ Leinster)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum/ Leinster) Capt
Eimear Considine (Sevens)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Aoife Doyle (Shannon/ Munster)
Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe (St Marys / Munster)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/ Connacht).

Tom Daly with Lucy Mulhall Captains of their respective teams Tom Daly and Lucy Mulhall pictured during the summer. Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

Meanwhile, the men have three known fixtures ahead of them. They tackle Spain and Portugal from 17.20 on Friday and take on France at 11.20 on Saturday morning. The play-offs will be under way from 12.40 on Saturday.

Ireland Men’s Sevens squad:

Cian Aherne (UL Bohemians/ Munster)
Alan Bennie (UL Bohemians/ Munster)
Adam Byrne (UCD/ Leinster)
Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch/ Ulster)
Tom Daly (Lansdowne/ Leinster) Capt
Barry Daly (UCD/ Leinster)
Matthew D’Arcy (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
Foster Horan (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
Terry Kennedy (St. Marys/ Leinster)
Gearoid Lyons (Young Munster/ Munster)
Matthew O’Regan (Macclesfield/ Exiles)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
Nick Timoney (Queens University/ Ulster)

Alicante is lovely this time of year: Here are the men and women's 7s squads for this weekend

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