AFTER LAST WEEKEND’S Olympic qualification attempts, Ireland’s Sevens squads are much-changed as they go back into European Grand Prix action.
Stan McDowell’s women’s squad, who now cannot qualify for Tokyo 2020, travel to Kharkiv in Ukraine with uncapped talent Stephanie Carroll, Lucinda Kinghan and Dorothy Wall amid a host of changes.
Captain Lucy Mulhall and the World Series’ top try-scorer Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe lead the list of eight women dropping out as the squad is trimmed from 13 to 12.
The five women retained from Kazan are Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird, Eve Higgins, Megan Burns, Kathy Baker and Emily Lane, who captains the team.
Ireland Women face into a pool with Italy, Wales and Spain (kicking off from 10.22am, Saturday). This weekend is the second of a two-legged Grand Prix Series. Ireland finished fourth last time out, losing the bronze final to Spain.
Ireland men also show a raft of changes after their third-place finish in the European Olympic qualifier, which was enough to earn a spot in a Global Repechage where the last Olympic berth will be up for grabs next year.
The men’s squad is also trimmed to 12 for their visit to Lodz, with the newly-minted fame of Greg O’Shea making him a notable absentee. He is (ehm…) rested along with fellow front-liners such as captain Billy Dardis, Harry McNulty, Shane Daly and Ian Fitzpatrick.
Leinster-capped fullback and former Ireland U20 captain Jack Kelly skippers the side with Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Adam Leavy and Mark Roche his fellow survivors in the touring party.
Two of this year’s U20 crop – Adam LaGrue and Max O’Reilly – will hope to win their first Sevens cap this weekend along with Jack O’Sullivan.
Having finished second in the first leg, Ireland will meet Poland, Italy and Wales in Saturday’s pool stage (kicking off from 11.5o, Saturday).
Ireland Women’s squad for Rugby Europe 7s Grand Prix 2nd leg
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union) *
Anna Doyle (Tullow & Railway Union/Leinster)
Aoife Doyle (Shannon & Railway Union/Munster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar & Railway Union/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Lucinda Kinghan (Railway Union/Ulster) *
Emily Lane (Mallow/Munster)
Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
Dorothy Wall (Fethard/Munster) *
Ireland men’s squad for Rugby Europe 7s Grand Prix 2nd leg
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers)
Sean Cribbin (Suttonians & Old Belvedere)
Jack Daly (Garryowen)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Old Wesley)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College)
Adam LaGrue (Terenure College) *
Adam Leavy (Lansdowne)
Hugo Lennox (Clontarf)
Max O’Reilly (Dublin University) *
Jack O’Sullivan (Lansdowne)*
Mark Roche (Blackrock College)
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