Pace key to Sevens success, says Colm McMahon, as Munster take on the world
“Guys with pace who can step with good fitness levels,” he stresses. “Your back three are obvious selections but you need playmakers and some forwards as well because, as we saw last year, it’s quite a physical game.”
With this philosophy in mind, McMahon features a mix of academy, sub-academy and club talent in a squad that will be captained by academy player Alex Wootton, one of four Ireland sevens representatives in the group alongside Young Munster’s Diarmuid McCarthy, Lansdowne’s Cian Aherne and Clanwilliam’s Alan Bennie. Following his recent move to Ireland, Malaysian sevens player Murray Linn is also included while the most notable forward involved will be Shannon’s Frank Bradshaw Ryan.
The performance of former schools star McCarthy will be a source of considerable interest not just to McMahon but also to Anthony Foley as well.
“Diarmuid has made tremendous progress over the last year,” says McMahon. “This really suits him, a guy getting back into rugby after being out for quite a while. It affords him an opportunity to get his hands on the ball regularly and bring his skills back to where they were before he took a break from rugby. He’s relishing that.”
Players from the four Irish provinces have much to play for, bearing in mind the looming European qualifier for the Olympic Games.
“We’ve had contact from Anthony Eddy (IRFU director of sevens) and the lads involved with the national sevens team, looking to see if there are guys outside of their squad that they should keep an eye on,” McMahon explained.
“It’s an opportunity for anyone from any of the provinces to put their hand up for inclusion in the Ireland team.”
The Irish provinces may well struggle against specialist sevens teams such as Daveta, San Francisco and especially South Africa’s Golden Lions but Colm McMahon remains quietly confident.
“We’ve had the experience of last year so we’re not as blind going into it even though it’s still going to be a tough couple of days,” he says.
“We are chucking something different at young players to see how they manage to get themselves up for three games in a day. It challenges their mental toughness a little bit.”
New York, Stade Francais, Leinster, Daveta.
San Francisco, Samurai, Canadian Maples, Munster.
Buenos Aires, Golden Lions, Connacht, Ulster.
Cian Aherne, Alan Bennie, Frank Bradshaw Ryan, Jack Cullen, Ryan Foley, Niall Kenneally, Murray Linn, Olly Lyons, Diarmaid McCarthy, Steven McMahon, Tomás Quinlan, Alex Wootton.
Shane Layden (Captain), Peter Robb, Danny Qualter, Caolin Blade, Ciaran Gaffney, Ed O’Keeffe, Fionn Carr, James Connolly, Conor Lowndes, Ian Porter, Cormac Brennan, Shane O’Leary.
11am-6pm
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