Mulhall misses out on Dubai Sevens squad with injury

Ireland head coach Stan McDowell has named his 13-player squad for the tournament.

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS captain Lucy Mulhall will miss the second leg of the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series season in Dubai next week after picking up a thumb injury in training.

Head coach Stan McDowell has named his 13-player squad for the tournament, and in the absence of Mulhall the side will be co-captained by Katie Fitzhenry and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

In total the squad shows two changes from the HSBC USA Women’s Sevens, with Claire Boyles and Brittany Hogan both included, while Tullow’s Anna Dolye keeps her place following here debut in Colorado last month.

“We look forward to the challenges of the next competition block, starting in Dubai, which includes back-to-back tournaments running alongside the Men’s series for the first time,” said McDowell.

“With this also comes a new competition format with only the top four sides playing six games and the rest playing four, with points difference over the course of the tournament now the deciding factor for a team’s final placing.

“Our preparations have gone well, with the squad focused on putting in a strong performance in our Pool play starting with our day one opponents Spain, who we know well.”

Ireland play Spain on 5 December before continuing their Pool B campaign against Australia and Fiji the following day.

The games will be streamed live on the World Rugby website.

Ireland women’s squad:

Kathy Baker (Blackrock/Leinster)
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)
Anna Doyle (DCU/Leinster)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar/Railway Union/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Brittany Hogan (DCU/Ulster)
Emily Lane (Mallow/Munster)
Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

Match schedule:

Pool B
5 December:
Ireland v Spain, The Dubai Sevens Stadium, 2.50pm local time/10.50am Irish time

6 December:
Ireland v Australia, The Dubai Sevens Stadium, 9.22am local time/5.22am Irish time

Ireland v Fiji, The Dubai Sevens Stadium, 2.12pm local time/10.12am Irish time

7 December:
Women’s Play-Offs & Finals, The Dubai Sevens Stadium, TBC

Bernard Jackman and Murray Kinsella join Gavan Casey to discuss eye-gouging, Munster’s scrum-half situation, and the rest of the provincial news.