Ireland 7s?

Frank_Gallagher

Does anyone know why Ireland doesn't run a sevens team? Surely with a growing player base it would be a good way to have a look at younger/fringe players?
Particularly in wider positions and with a view to developing successors to the threequarter line.

Amz

Probably for reasons of money/player resources.

Decent players tend to be snapped up by provinces etc. and I can't imagine them being oto enamoured with the idea of these talented players playing sevens instead of concentrating on the provincial game and developing in the 15-a-side game.

7 a side is a very different beast to 15 a side so would only have limited developmental benefits for a player.

toomevara

Would love to see a more active interest in the 7's game in Ireland. Massive benefits for backs and mobile forwards...we've got absolutely no tradition of it though, a great shame....Among the home nations the English, French and welsh have benefitted massively from it, and the all blacks really rate it as a means of blooding young talented ball runners...

Oilrig

If the Super 14 ELV's ever make it up here we may rue our lack of 7's experienced players...

themont85

We had a team about 3 years ago in the IRB 7s league. Ian Humphreys was on it. It only lasted a year though. I think it was around the time when the IRFU were making serious cuts such as threatning Connacht's existence. In the grand scheme of things I'd say they decided to pump resources into the A team been revived, more benefical to the National side.

Podge_irl

Money/player resources. The IRFU considered an A team to be more a valuable use of both, can't say I disagree with them.

toomevara

Podge_irl wrote: »

Money/player resources. The IRFU considered an A team to be more a valuable use of both, can't say I disagree with them.

Think if its a straight choice between an A team and a 7's outfit, no contest, but running a sevens squad is not anything like as resource intensive as a full squad. One of the real revelations of recent 7 competitions has been the Kenyan team. Those guys are probably entirely run on a budget that wouldn't pay for BOD's hair care products.

I think the resources argument is a bit of a red herring, its a lack of will and interest. A good backs coach, a physio, kit man and some committed players and you're away....not going to break the bank....

thirdmantackle

Pick the best non contracted players and academy players

Give them a reward for their efforts. Let them show what they can do

Podge_irl

toomevara wrote: »

I think the resources argument is a bit of a red herring, its a lack of will and interest. A good backs coach, a physio, kit man and some committed players and you're away....not going to break the bank....

Its player resources as much as money resources I suppose though. Having players in the 7s tournaments would effectively eliminate them from an awful lot of provincial games, so its unlikely they would be contracted players (unless its just the odd event, which would be reasonably useless I guess), which would reduce the quality a fair bit. I'm sceptical of how must use it is playing in 7s anyway wrt development.
Then again, I'm not the biggest fan of 7s rugby, so I suppose I'm just not that bothered about seeing an Irish team involved.

what say what?

imo 7's is highlight reel rugby

it bears no comparision to the real thing just like 5 a side football and 1 0n 1 in basketball

pretty to watch but thats about it

Frank_Gallagher

I reckon both sides of the coin have merit. I reckon it's not fair to simply dismiss it out of hand as too expensive, if Scotland can do we can. At the same time, the direct relationship between the 7s and 15s is fairly tenuous.
That said, the principles of offensive wing and threequarter play don't change much between the two. I don't really see how it would hurt, also imagine players like (David) Wallace, D'arcy, Reddan and Murphy lighting up the 7s circuit when they weren't getting picked? Would certainly strengthen their claims to be game-breakers.
Current squad have guys like Fitzgerald, Downing, Ferris, Danny Riordan and even less experienced guys like Keith Earls or someone. I reckon if your an outside back or a mobile+powerful forward, it could be of more use to you than playing AIL/Magners a couple of times a year. Its not as if they're gonna forget how to play 15s.

figs86

ive heard from few people that it has been re-instated with academy players like ian keatley and felix jones in the squad. names ive heard are all players about 21/22 years old in the provincial academies

rav1410

If Wales and Scotland can do it, Surley we can, I for one would love to see an Ireland 7's team again, I love the whole idea of it, A full tournament in a weekend, I plan to go to Dubai the next time its on there and would love to be supporting Ireland when I'm there,

Riskymove

Ireland are about to re-launch a 7s team alright.

It was mentioned in the programme for Italian match, AIB to sponsor

rav1410

Riskymove wrote: »

Ireland are about to re-launch a 7s team alright.

It was mentioned in the programme for Italian match, AIB to sponsor

Great news, Did it say if it will be ready in time for next season?

And not a mention about it on Google or anything,

Riskymove

"Official announcement soon" apparantly:rolleyes:

Nothingcompares

i remember james downey played on an irish 7s team along with shane moore who were at connacht at the time (downey is at northampton I beleive).

Goodluck2me

One of my friends is training with them at the mo, think they are playing in the next comp.

It appears that it will be up and coing younger academy players with a small mix of more experienced guys at AIL level.

I think its a positivie step in us becoming better ball handlers and creating better runners.