THE IRELAND WOMEN’S Sevens squad has been named for the opening leg of the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Series 2020 in Glendale, Colorado.
Leinster’s Anna Doyle is named in the 13-strong group for her first World Series trip. The 19-year-old won her first cap in Kazan last summer, and starred along the way in her province’s recent successful Interprovincial Championship campaign.
Doyle now becomes the latest player from the IRFU’s Women’s Development pathway to make her World Series debut after Tullamore club mate Megan Burns, also 19, made her bow in Japan in August.
Wexford native Katie Fitzhenry returns to the squad having missed out on most of last season through injury, while Wicklow’s Lucy Mulhall captains a strong side once again which sees Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Louise Galvin and Hannah Tyrrell all involved.
Stan McDowell’s Ireland have been drawn in Pool B, where they’ll kick their campaign off against France on Saturday, before facing USA and Brazil.
“Looking at what’s coming through this season from the player pathway, its an exciting time for the Women’s sevens game,” head coach McDowell said.
“There is some really good talent that we can continue to develop and strengthen our squad for the 2019-2020 World Series and beyond.
“We have been training out at our new High Performance Centre which has been a great facility for the players to train from and we are really looking forward to the series ahead.”
The following rounds will take place in Dubai, Cape Town, Hamilton, Sydney, Hong Kong and Paris.
McDowell’s side fell to England in the quarter-final of the Olympic Qualification event in Kazan, and will be hoping to show further improvement in the World Series this year after a best-ever finish in a fourth place in Sydney in February.
Ireland Women’s Seven’s squad
HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series 2020, Glendale, Colorado, 5/6 October 2019.
- Kathy Baker (Blackrock College/ Leinster)
- Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
- Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)
- Anna Doyle (Tullow/ Leinster)
- Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/ Leinster)
- Stacey Flood (Railway Union/ Leinster)
- Louise Galvin (UL Bohemian/Munster)
- Katie Heffernan (Mullingar/Railway Union/Leinster)
- Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
- Emily Lane (Mallow/Munster)
- Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum)
- Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
- Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Ireland’s fixtures
Saturday 5 October
- Ireland v France – 10:37hrs Local Time / 17.37 Irish Time
- Ireland v USA – 13:43hrs Local Time/ 20.43hrs Irish Time
- Ireland v Brazil – 16:05hrs Local Time/ 23.05 Irish Time
Sunday, 6th October 2019
- Finals Day
The games will be streamed live in the World Rugby 7s YouTube, Twitter and Facebook.
Eoin Toolan joins Murray Kinsella in Japan to review Ireland’s shock defeat to the hosts at the Rugby World Cup.
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