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Ireland 7s route to Rio

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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,758 ✭✭✭RedemptionZ


    Does anyone have a list of the prospective squad, or even a few names?


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Does anyone have a list of the prospective squad, or even a few names?
    Michael Lawton ex Ballynahinch, Dungannon, Flyde(Scotland) outside back is in the squad.
    Who knows when whole squad will be announced.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭FrannoFan


    Does anyone have a list of the prospective squad, or even a few names?

    I understand a squad of 28 or so has been selected to train. i don't think any pro players are involved with that(so they may be added in time) the number isn't exclusively rugby players as far as i know- athletes from other backgrounds have been trialed such as GAA and athletics


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    FrannoFan wrote: »
    I understand a squad of 28 or so has been selected to train. i don't think any pro players are involved with that(so they may be added in time) the number isn't exclusively rugby players as far as i know- athletes from other backgrounds have been trialed such as GAA and athletics
    The men's teams has underwent the same process as the women's team and anyone from other sports could try out for the team.
    There would always have been some pro players looked at and will be added. They'll look at guys on edge of the provincial squads who're not getting huge game time in pro12 and will be suited to 7s

    There will be two squads competing as we have sides entering both the European Championships and the GB Sevens.
    The GB7s takes place across three legs, in Edinburgh on 30 May, in Coventry on 6 June and in Colwyn Bay on 13 June.
    The European Championships Division C take place on 6/7 June.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,775 ✭✭✭b.gud


    Here's the squad http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/34621.php

    Ireland Men's Sevens Squad 2015
    Cian Aherne (Lansdowne /Leinster)
    Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
    Alan Bennie (Clanwilliam /Munster)
    Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
    Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
    Tom Daly (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
    Matthew D'Arcy (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
    Ian Fitzpatrick (Lansdowne/Leinster)
    Dan Goggin (Young Munster/Munster)
    Eoghan Grace (Exiles)
    Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
    Alex Kane (Exiles)
    Terry Kennedy (St Mary's College/ Leinster)
    Michael Lawton (Exiles)
    Shane Layden (Buccaneers/ Connacht)
    Gearoid Lyons (Young Munster/ Munster)
    Diarmuid McCarthy (Young Munster/Munster)
    David McGuigan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
    Harry McNulty (UCD/Leinster)
    Dave Moore (Blackrock /Leinster)
    Luke O'Dea (Shannon/ Munster)
    Matthew O'Regan (Exiles)
    Mark Roche (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
    Steve Toal-Lennon (St Mary's College/ Leinster)
    Conor Toolan (St Mary's College/Leinster)
    Ciaran Wardle (Exiles)
    Alex Wootton (Garryowen/Munster)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    Missing a trick not having Cian Kelleher in there. Probably the best running back in the country with space imo. Excited to see O'Dea and Byrne tho!


  • Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    Mick McGrath I thought would fit in too, big fast guy that can break tackles without losing pace.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,668 ✭✭✭Mahatma Geansai


    Luke O'Dea is probably the most established player involved in the squad on first glance. Hopefully he finds form/fitness and work his way back into the reckoning with Munster. Great to see Diarmuid McCarthy involved too; he's only been back playing rugby for the last year or so.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    So the plan is to have a full time 7s team?


  • Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭cp


    Good mix there of academy flyers, and good UBL players who are particularly suited to sevens format.

    Wonder will they look to add some more experience somewhere down the line?

    Would like to see the likes of Fionn Carr and Mick McGrath involved, if indeed they wanted to be..


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,415 ✭✭✭Swiwi.


    I've always been amazed that Ireland has ignored 7s. A lot of catch-up required to be at the level, given the length of time most other countries have been concentrating on the game.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    .ak wrote: »
    Missing a trick not having Cian Kelleher in there. Probably the best running back in the country with space imo. Excited to see O'Dea and Byrne tho!
    Don't see it especially second sentence. Though CK may have been kept back as wanted for pro12 next season....
    So the plan is to have a full time 7s team?
    Well they are entering the bottom tier of the European competition and have to work way up to the top tier. Might fall down when come up against sides playing 7s much longer
    cp wrote: »
    Good mix there of academy flyers, and good UBL players who are particularly suited to sevens format.

    Wonder will they look to add some more experience somewhere down the line?

    Would like to see the likes of Fionn Carr and Mick McGrath involved, if indeed they wanted to be..
    Experience of what though? 7s is quite different and the provinces wont want players to be pulled who may be used in pro12.
    Swiwi. wrote: »
    I've always been amazed that Ireland has ignored 7s. A lot of catch-up required to be at the level, given the length of time most other countries have been concentrating on the game.
    cost, no real tradition of 7s at age grade and club competitions.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    So if the Sevens team is taking the Wolfhounds name, does this mean the Ireland A is being re-named or even scrapped?!


  • Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    Doubt it. Will probably just be Irish Wolfhound 7s, also currently the 15s Wolfhounds is refereed to as Ireland A officially on any fixture lists.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    So if the Sevens team is taking the Wolfhounds name, does this mean the Ireland A is being re-named or even scrapped?!

    There are two teams, Ireland 7s which will attempt to qualify for Europe and Ireland Wolfhounds 7s which is competing in a smaller competition GB sevens series to give backup players outside the main squad experience in case they are needed.

    IE they are the Ireland A sevens team.


  • Registered Users Posts: 45,433 ✭✭✭✭thomond2006


    Whatever about the rugby differences between 7s and 15s, I think it's a good idea to give some fringe/young players an opportunity to travel the world and develop new skills.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,340 ✭✭✭FrannoFan


    Ireland Sevens squad.
    Cian Aherne (Lansdowne /Leinster)
    Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
    Alan Bennie (Clanwilliam /Munster)
    Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
    Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
    Tom Daly (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
    Matthew D’Arcy (St. Marys/Leinster)
    Ian Fitzpatrick (Lansdowne/Leinster)
    Dan Goggin (Young Munster/Munster)
    Eoghan Grace (Exiles)
    Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
    Alex Kane (Exiles)
    Terry Kennedy (St Mary’s/ Leinster)
    Michael Lawton (Exiles)
    Shane Layden (Buccaneers/ Connacht)
    Gearoid Lyons (Young Munster/ Munster)
    Diarmuid McCarthy (Young Munster/Munster)
    David McGuigan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
    Harry McNulty (UCD/Leinster)
    Dave Moore (Blackrock /Leinster)
    Luke O’Dea (Shannon/ Munster)
    Matthew O’Regan (Exiles)
    Mark Roche (Lansdowne/ Leinster)
    Steve Toal-Lennon (St Marys/ Leinster)
    Conor Toolan (St Marys/ Leinster)
    Ciaran Wardle (Exiles)
    Alex Wootton (Garryowen/Munster)


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,247 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Well they are entering the bottom tier of the European competition and have to work way up to the top tier. Might fall down when come up against sides playing 7s much longer

    Any chance you could explain the timescale of the challenge to get into the top tier World Series, in a best case scenario?
    We go in at Euro C level, guessing there is a Euro B and a Euro A? And from Euro A can you get into the World Series or is there presumably playoffs of some sort against the best of Africa Asia etc.
    And can you only get one promotion a season, i.e., contest C this year, B next year, A in 2017, or is there multiple competitions each year?


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Any chance you could explain the timescale of the challenge to get into the top tier World Series, in a best case scenario?
    We go in at Euro C level, guessing there is a Euro B and a Euro A? And from Euro A can you get into the World Series or is there presumably playoffs of some sort against the best of Africa Asia etc.
    And can you only get one promotion a season, i.e., contest C this year, B next year, A in 2017, or is there multiple competitions each year?
    We go into European division C which takes place in Bosnia on June 6th/7th. We need to finish in the top 4 there to qualify for Division B. Division B is in Croatia June 20th/21st. Top team in Division B qualifies for Repechage competition which takes place in Portugal July 18th/19th. We would then need to win that to enter the world repechage
    Don't know how things worked previous seasons but you can compete in multiple competitions per year


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    We go into European division C which takes place in Bosnia on June 6th/7th. We need to finish in the top 4 there to qualify for Division B. Division B is in Croatia June 20th/21st. Top team in Division B qualifies for Repechage competition which takes place in Portugal July 18th/19th. We would then need to win that to enter the world repechage
    Don't know how things worked previous seasons but you can compete in multiple competitions per year

    We have no chance at being the European qualifier do we?


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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Can anyone briefly explain why Ireland being an established Rugby nation is having to play against below par nations to qualify?.

    In short is it because 7s is possibly organised by a separate organization and Ireland haven't competed so must start at the bottom?.

    Also how many countries are participating in the games?.
    I know the landscape of 7s is slightly different but by and large it's just the same counties ranked differently minus Ireland.
    Surely if say 16 qualified then between the NH and SH all the Union big dogs countries should have been given clear paths to qualifying to keep it competitive.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,247 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Also how many countries are participating in the games?.
    I know the landscape of 7s is slightly different but by and large it's just the same counties ranked differently minus Ireland.
    Surely if say 16 qualified then between the NH and SH all the Union big dogs countries should have been given clear paths to qualifying to keep it competitive.

    For the Olympics its 11 qualifiers plus Brazil. Top 4 in the world, then 1 from a qualifying comp per continent, then a repechege for the final spot.

    Re your other point, theres absolutely no reason for Ireland to be fastracked to the top table (which is what I think you are implying) in 7s just because they are a top dog in 15s. In 7s we are not an established rugby nation - we are a beginner minnow.


  • Registered Users Posts: 30,308 Mod ✭✭✭✭.ak


    Can anyone briefly explain why Ireland being an established Rugby nation is having to play against below par nations to qualify?.

    In short is it because 7s is possibly organised by a separate organization and Ireland haven't competed so must start at the bottom?.

    Also how many countries are participating in the games?.
    I know the landscape of 7s is slightly different but by and large it's just the same counties ranked differently minus Ireland.
    Surely if say 16 qualified then between the NH and SH all the Union big dogs countries should have been given clear paths to qualifying to keep it competitive.

    Well you know the 7s is a totally different sport to union? They shouldn't be linked on but judged on merit. Sure USA won the IRB 7s cup just there, and teams like Kenya and other 'minnow' nations regularly do well.

    We could be absolutely ****e at this. I imagine we will be. The only experience in 7s these lads will have is playing the odd bit of touch rugby in training or going down to Kinsale for a pissup.


  • Registered Users Posts: 95 ✭✭bradders90


    I know the landscape of 7s is slightly different but by and large it's just the same counties ranked differently minus Ireland.
    Not really.
    Sevens rankings (15s rankings)
    Fiji 1 (12)
    South Africa 2 (2)
    New Zealand 3 (1)
    England 4 (4)
    Australia 5 (6)
    USA 6 (16)
    Scotland 7 (10)
    Argentina 8 (8)
    Canada 9 (17)
    Samoa 10 (9)

    Notable absentees being tonga, wales, france.
    Plus sevens is far less predictable, even if you think NZ will smack Canada, they don't always do.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,522 ✭✭✭nerd69


    .ak wrote: »
    Well you know the 7s is a totally different sport to union? They shouldn't be linked on but judged on merit. Sure USA won the IRB 7s cup just there, and teams like Kenya and other 'minnow' nations regularly do well.

    We could be absolutely ****e at this. I imagine we will be. The only experience in 7s these lads will have is playing the odd bit of touch rugby in training or going down to Kinsale for a pissup.

    would we not have a massive advantage at least in the division c and b games purely because our players will have grown up playing rugby to a relatively high level?

    it may be a stupid but genuine question for anyone who knows there 7s as while iv watched the odd 7s tourney i dont know the intricacies at an international level. would skill learned playing the 15s game translate and be a huge advantage or does a lot of it just come down to pace and stamina?


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,597 ✭✭✭✭errlloyd


    We have no chance at being the European qualifier do we?

    Well actually. Wales and Scotland can't qualify because England already have and great Britain only gets one of them... So we'd just have to be better than France, Russia, Italy, Portugal, Spain and a handful of others

    Edit: Oh unless that is based on rankings for the world series, in which case we won't.


  • Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    We have no chance at being the European qualifier do we?
    Not really
    Can anyone briefly explain why Ireland being an established Rugby nation is having to play against below par nations to qualify?.

    In short is it because 7s is possibly organised by a separate organization and Ireland haven't competed so must start at the bottom?.

    Also how many countries are participating in the games?.
    I know the landscape of 7s is slightly different but by and large it's just the same counties ranked differently minus Ireland.
    Surely if say 16 qualified then between the NH and SH all the Union big dogs countries should have been given clear paths to qualifying to keep it competitive.
    We are nowhere near being an established rugby 7s nation and we have no real history of playing 7s. 7s is completely different game to 15s
    It is far from the same countries competing minus Ireland. The countries that win and who are at the top are slightly different as well.
    We are going to be much less competitive in Olympics if we were to make it than many so called "minnow" nations
    nerd69 wrote: »
    would we not have a massive advantage at least in the division c and b games purely because our players will have grown up playing rugby to a relatively high level?

    it may be a stupid but genuine question for anyone who knows there 7s as while iv watched the odd 7s tourney i dont know the intricacies at an international level. would skill learned playing the 15s game translate and be a huge advantage or does a lot of it just come down to pace and stamina?
    We may have rugby playing and background over players from other countries but we could be coming up against 7s specialists which none of our players are. 15s at a relatively high level is very different to 7s.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,601 ✭✭✭✭Squidgy Black


    Would Darragh Fanning not be an excellent choice given his experience playing 7s, and the fact most Leinster fans would be more than happy to see him be gone on international duty :pac:


  • Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 26,398 Mod ✭✭✭✭Peregrine


    _Tyrrell_ wrote: »
    Would Darragh Fanning not be an excellent choice given his experience playing 7s, and the fact most Leinster fans would be more than happy to see him be gone on international duty :pac:

    But Fanning is going to the World Cup ;)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 958 ✭✭✭ArmchairQB


    _Tyrrell_ wrote: »
    Would Darragh Fanning not be an excellent choice given his experience playing 7s, and the fact most Leinster fans would be more than happy to see him be gone on international duty :pac:

    He is on a professional contract, don't think any of these lads are on pro contracts no pay just expenses


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