SEVENS DIRECTOR OF Rugby Anthony Eddy has named the 12 man squad that will begin Ireland’s Olympic journey this weekend.
Eddy’s side take on Turkey, Belarus and Montenegro in Rugby Europe’s Division C tournament in Bosnia, as they look to secure an unlikely Olympic qualification this year.
Leinster academy player Tom Daly captains the side, composed mainly of academy and Ulster Bank League players.
Daly is one of four Leinster based players in the squad, with Lansdowne’s AIL winners Cian Aherne and Mark Roche joining academy player Adam Byrne and UCD’s Harry McNulty in the squad.
Two Munster academy players are picked, Gearoid Lyons and Alex Wooton, while Diarmuid McCarthy, who has been tipped to earn a contract with the province after impressing for Young Munster this year is also picked.
Connacht’s Shane Layden, Aaron Cairns and David McGuigan of Ulster , and Michael Lawton complete the squad.
Director of Rugby Anthony Eddty said: “The panel has progressed in a short space of time. It is our ambition to be a part of the Sevens World Series by the end of 2017 whilst also having an outside chance for Olympic qualification in Rio in 2016.”
The top four teams from this tournament will be promoted to Division B and compete in Croatia on 20 -21 June.
The highest ranked eligible team from Division B qualifies to participate in the Rugby Europe Olympic Repechage Tournament which will take place in Lisbon on the 18-19 July.
The winner of the Lisbon tournament will then have the opportunity to compete in the World Olympic Repechage in 2016 to secure the last spot for Rio 2016.
Squad in full:1. Shane Layden (Buccaneers/ Connacht)
2. Gearoid Lyons (Young Munster/ Munster)
3. Diarmuid McCarthy (Young Munster/Munster)
4. Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
5. Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
6. Tom Daly (Lansdowne/ Leinster) Capt.
7. David McGuigan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
8. Harry McNulty (UCD/Leinster)
9. Cian Aherne (Lansdowne /Leinster)
10. Mark Roche (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
11. Alex Wootton (Garryowen/Munster)
12. Michael Lawton (Exiles)
