ANTHONY EDDY HAS named a 12-player Ireland Women’s Sevens squad for this weekend’s Brazilian leg of the World Sevens Series, with Audrey O’Flynn joining the group after their recent visit to Australia.
The Irish squad has spent the last fortnight in Sydney training with the Australian squad in preparation for the São Paulo-hosted tournament, where they hope to make vast improvements on their 12th-placed finish in the opening leg of the season in Dubai.
Jenny Murphy, Hannah Tyrrell, Jeamie Deacon and Kim Flood, all of whom were part of the training camp in Australia, have returned to Ireland and will not play any part in São Paulo this weekend.
O’Flynn, who progressed into the Ireland squad through the IRFU’s talent ID programme, links up with the squad in Brazil to complete a 12-player group.
After a tough experience in November in Dubai – Ireland’s return to the World Series after a year-long absence – Eddy is hopeful that the recent training stint in Australia, which featured three Test matches against the world number one side, will have the squad in a far better position to impress.
“The two-week camp in Sydney was a valuable experience for the group,” said Eddy. “They got to train and play against a team that has been assembled and professional for a few years as well as having a lot of World Series experience.
Our girls learned a great deal and played three tough games in front of over 30,000 spectators.
“A lot of the girls would have experienced the intensity of the World Series for the first time in Dubai and since then we have been building steadily towards Sao Paulo. They now know what is required of them at this level and while we are again drawn in a challenging pool, we will be aiming for a better performance.”
Ireland will face the Australians again in Pool A this weekend in São Paulo, while they will also take on Canada and Fiji, who finished sixth and seventh respectively in the Dubai leg of the Series.
Ireland squad for São Paulo:
Ashleigh Baxter – Belfast Harlequins / Ulster
Eimear Considine – Talent ID Programme
Katie Fitzhenry – Blackrock College RFC / Leinster
Stacey Flood – Railway Union / Leinster
Louise Galvin – UL Bohs / Munster
Shannon Houston – Blackrock College RFC / Leinster
Claire Keohane – UL Bohs / Munster
Alison Miller – Portlaoise / Leinster
Lucy Mulhall – Rathdrum / Leinster
Amee Leigh Murphy-Crowe – St.Mary’s College RFC / Munster
Audrey O’Flynn – Talent ID Programme
Megan Williams – St.Mary’s College RFC
Schedule:
Matches will be streamed live at worldrugby.org
Saturday 20 February
Canada v Ireland – 14.06 (Irish time)
Australia v Ireland – 16.28
Fiji v Ireland – 19.34
Sunday 21 February
Cup/Bowl/Plate play-offs
The42 Six Nations Show / SoundCloud
