Ireland 7s route to Rio

Tighty

I note a nearly 50% change in personnel from the ''core 12'' who played in the majority of the qualifying competitions last year , ie : missing Kennedy ( Irish 20s), Lyons ( now Nottingham, English Championship), Cairns and McGuigan ( both injured) and McCarthy who appears to have dropped out of competitive rugby. I hope this is a stronger squad as the quality of this year's opposition will be much higher.

LuckyLloyd

To qualify we'd need a squad full of full time pros tbh - whether they be 15s or 7s circuit pros. That's the standard that will be at Rio. Just because we have a much stronger pedigree than Samoa in full test rugby is meaningless to the question of qualification for Rio. We're sending a squad that will be outclassed and will be unable to qualify on that basis.

Hopefully it provides a good learning experience for all involved and raises the right questions to answer if qualifying for 2020 is an aim.

irishbucsfan

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

To qualify we'd need a squad full of full time pros tbh - whether they be 15s or 7s circuit pros. That's the standard that will be at Rio. Just because we have a much stronger pedigree than Samoa in full test rugby is meaningless to the question of qualification for Rio. We're sending a squad that will be outclassed and will be unable to qualify on that basis.

Hopefully it provides a good learning experience for all involved and raises the right questions to answer if qualifying for 2020 is an aim.

The real first step is getting a team on the series. After that we'll be in a much better position.

Tighty

Tighty wrote: »

I note a nearly 50% change in personnel from the ''core 12'' who played in the majority of the qualifying competitions last year , ie : missing Kennedy ( Irish 20s), Lyons ( now Nottingham, English Championship), Cairns and McGuigan ( both injured) and McCarthy who appears to have dropped out of competitive rugby. I hope this is a stronger squad as the quality of this year's opposition will be much higher.

correction to above post; Ian Fitzpatrick from last year also not in either team, presumably because of injury or unavailability.

Braken

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

To qualify we'd need a squad full of full time pros tbh - whether they be 15s or 7s circuit pros. That's the standard that will be at Rio. Just because we have a much stronger pedigree than Samoa in full test rugby is meaningless to the question of qualification for Rio. We're sending a squad that will be outclassed and will be unable to qualify on that basis.

Hopefully it provides a good learning experience for all involved and raises the right questions to answer if qualifying for 2020 is an aim.

I agree wholeheartedly with you,if our ambitions are to compete on the IRB World Series and the Olympics them we will have to have full time contracted payed players with a world class specialist 7s coach or we are deluding ourselves
The US decided to contract their players 4/5 seasons ago and brought in Mike Friday a specialist coach and the team has been transformed...the "new" GAA player with their aerobic/endurance background might be more suited to the modern 7s game than some of the 15s guys they have playing at present...

irishbucsfan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRb0EOjhCYs&feature=youtu.be

Women's team playing in the Bowl final in France at this link

ronanc1000

Does anyone know what the story is with Mick McCarthy at the moment? Whats his next move? I know he's finished with Leinster, I think sevens suits him down to the ground.

Thud

irishbucsfan wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRb0EOjhCYs&feature=youtu.be

Women's team playing in the Bowl final in France at this link

Women finished last of the core team, from the games i've watched we lack speed and for some reason think bashing it up the middle is a good sevens tactic, any time it looks like going wide the come back in and rarely try to beat players on the outside (probably due to lack of speed and support speed). Will need a miracle to qualify from repechage..

http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/standings

irishbucsfan

Thud wrote: »

Women finished last of the core team, from the games i've watched we lack speed and for some reason think bashing it up the middle is a good sevens tactic, any time it looks like going wide the come back in and rarely try to beat players on the outside (probably due to lack of speed and support speed). Will need a miracle to qualify from repechage..

http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/standings

The problem in the final was a lack of technical ability. Most of Russia's scores came directly from handling errors. There wasn't really an issue with a lack of speed just a lack of possession due to repeated errors in the first half (and they never recovered from that).

They did look extremely tired.

Thud

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The problem in the final was a lack of technical ability. Most of Russia's scores came directly from handling errors. There wasn't really an issue with a lack of speed just a lack of possession due to repeated errors in the first half (and they never recovered from that).

They did look extremely tired.

It wasnt just the final have watch a couple of games from each event, even Japan and Spain realise speed is key and get the ball out wide we're only team playing bash it up style.

irishbucsfan

Thud wrote: »

It wasnt just the final have watch a couple of games from each event, even Japan and Spain realise speed is key and get the ball out wide we're only team playing bash it up style.

I've seen plenty of the girls. The problem is in their skillset. The key is to create space first and then exploit it and we're struggling at the first aspect. Serevi was the greatest of all time because of how fantastic he was at the first part.

In this game specifically it never came down to their playing style, it just came down to very poor handling errors 20 meters from our own line and a couple of really talented opportunistic Russians who finished very nicely.

We have plenty of athleticism in the squad from the likes of Miller and Naoupu, the bones of a very talented team. Unfortunately Murphy is still long-term injured, she would draw a lot more from defenses.

The Lost Sheep

ronanc1000 wrote: »

Does anyone know what the story is with Mick McCarthy at the moment? Whats his next move? I know he's finished with Leinster, I think sevens suits him down to the ground.

Mick McCarthy and 7s??? Don't think so. Are

Thud wrote: »

Women finished last of the core team, from the games i've watched we lack speed and for some reason think bashing it up the middle is a good sevens tactic, any time it looks like going wide the come back in and rarely try to beat players on the outside (probably due to lack of speed and support speed). Will need a miracle to qualify from repechage..

http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series/standings

I don't think its speed and a lack of it that is the issue. As others have said. skills is more of an issue


Also

Womens opponents for repechage now confirmed
China, Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago in group stage

irishbucsfan

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Mick McCarthy and 7s??? Don't think so

I think he might mean Mick McGrath

The Lost Sheep

Olympic repechage are on June 19th(Mens) and 26th(Womens)

Both sides are competing in European championships on June 11th
Women play Russia, Italy and Belgium in round 1 of grand prix series
Men play Latvia, Isreal and Monaco in the Trophy.

feargale

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Both sides are competing in European championships on June 11th
Women play Russia, Italy and Belgium in round 1 of grand prix series
Men play Latvia, Isreal and Monaco in the Trophy.

Lost Sheep, I have tried without success to google these. Can you give a link, please?

The Lost Sheep

feargale wrote: »

Lost Sheep, I have tried without success to google these. Can you give a link, please?

Look on the 'Rugby Europe' website.

The Lost Sheep

Mens Grand Prix series starts tomorrow.
Games are being streamed on rugby Europe website.
Lots of sides we'll face in repechage in Monaco will be playing.
First round of games start 8.20am-9.50am

The Lost Sheep

Both British sides won their pools, 3 wins from 3. Germany won the other pool.
The cup quarters tomorrow are
GB2 v Georgia, GB1 v Portugal, Germany v France, Spain v Russia

The Lost Sheep

Russia won that 1st round of 7s, France 2nd, GB2 3rd, Germany 4th

Ireland Women's Sevens squad to compete in the first leg of the Rugby Europe Women's Sevens Grand Prix Series in Kazan, Russia this weekend.
Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Nicole Cronin (Railway Union/Munster)
Aoife Doyle (Shannon/Munster)
Kim Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)


Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum/Leinster) (capt)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Megan Williams (St. Mary's)

Match Schedule -

Saturday, June 11

Pool B:

Ireland v Italy, 11.50am local time/9.50am Irish time
Ireland v Belgium, 2.05pm local time/12.05pm Irish time
Russia v Ireland, 4.50pm local time/2.50pm Irish time

irishbucsfan

Great to see Briggs there. Jenny Murphy is back doing contact in training after being out for months and months, would be great to see her back.

I hope we see them step up from that game against Russia last time out, that was disappointing.

feargale

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Great to see Briggs there. Jenny Murphy is back doing contact in training after being out for months and months, would be great to see her back.

I hope we see them step up from that game against Russia last time out, that was disappointing.

You can say that again, not to talk of the fact that at Clermont-Ferrand Spain, the other main rival for Olympic qualification, finished well ahead of both Russia and Ireland. I'm afraid!!!

@ TheLostSheep: What's happened to Eimear Considine? She doesn't seem to be featuring at present, despite attracting favourable attention from the commentators in Australia recently.

The Lost Sheep

feargale wrote: »

You can say that again, not to talk of the fact that at Clermont-Ferrand Spain, the other main rival for Olympic qualification, finished well ahead of both Russia and Ireland. I'm afraid!!!

@ TheLostSheep: What's happened to Eimear Considine? She doesn't seem to be featuring at present, despite attracting favourable attention from the commentators in Australia recently.

I haven't a clue. She was named in squad for Amsterdam. Perhaps she is injured. I don't know and you may have better look looking round and finding out yourself...

The Lost Sheep

womens global repechage fixtures

http://www.irishrugby.ie/downloads/Global_Qualifying_Fixtures.pdf

The Lost Sheep

Ireland 7s squad for Rugby Europe Trophy
Adam Byrne – UCD/Leinster
Barry Daly – UCD
Tom Daly – Lansdowne FC/Leinster
Billy Dardis – UCD/Leinster
Ian Fitzpatrick – Lansdowne/Leinster
Stephen Fitzgerald – Shannon/Munster
Dan Goggin –Young Munster/Munster
Shane Layden – Buccaneers
Harry McNulty – UCD
Matthew Oppermann – Lansdowne FC
Steve Toal-Lennon – St. Mary’s
Alex Wootton – Garryowen/Munster
Ireland will face Latvia, Israel and Monaco from 10am tomorrow morning.

Ireland development squad for Super Sevens Series
David Busby – Queens University/Ulster
Jordan Conroy – Tullamore
Matthew D’Arcy – Clontarf
Colm Hogan – Dublin University
John O’Donnell – Sale Sharks
Conor Kelly – Queen’s University/Ulster
Ollie Lyons – Shannon/Munster
Rob Lyttle – Queen’s University/Ulster
Mick McGrath – Clontarf FC
Isaac O’Grady – unaffiliated
Mark Roche – Lansdowne FC
Nick Timoney – Queens University/Ulster

The development squad will begin their journey against Forces Exiles and WS Marauders from 10.40 tomorrow morning.

The Lost Sheep

Men beat Latvia 36-5 in game 1.
Women beat Italy 31-0 in their opening game

irishbucsfan

Are those games on youtube today? Can never remember the channel

The Lost Sheep

All womens results from today
Ireland 31 Italy 0, Ireland 12 Belgium 7, Russia 29 Ireland 5
Tomorrow they play Spain at 11.06 in Cup Quarter-Final which is meant to be live on www.rugbyeurope.tv

The Lost Sheep

Mens team competing in Trophy won their 3 games. Beating Latvia 36-5, Isreal 41-7 and Monaco 42-5
They play Cyprus in Cup quarter tomorrow

irishbucsfan

Women on now on rugbyeurope.tv, 5-5 approaching half-time

irishbucsfan

Lovely finish there, 12-5 to the good guys