Hugo Keenan named in Ireland Men’s Sevens squad for Paris Olympics
OLYMPICS SQUAD: Hugo Keenan has earned a place on the Ireland Men’s Sevens squad for next month’s Olympics in Paris as Harry McNulty was named captain with Lucy Rock set to lead the Irish Women’s squad on their Sevens Tournament debut at the Summer Games. Pic: ©INPHO/Martin Seras Lima
Hugo Keenan has earned a place on the Ireland Men’s Sevens squad for next month’s Olympics in Paris as Harry McNulty was named captain with Lucy Rock set to lead the Irish Women’s squad on their Sevens Tournament debut at the Summer Games.
Team Ireland on Monday officially ratified the selection of both Men's and Women's Sevens squads with respective head coaches James Topping and Allan Temple-Jones naming 12-player panels ahead of the Olympic competition at Stade de France from July 24-30.
Ireland and Leinster XVs full-back Keenan and Connacht wing Andrew Smith have successfully reintegrated to the Sevens format having rejoined the men’s squad last month and will join a squad containing seven players who made their Olympic debuts at the Tokyo Games in 2020.
Ireland Men will go into the Olympics after a second-place finish in the HSBC SVNS Series while Rock, nee Mulhall, will lead a Women’s squad which includes teenager Alanna Fitpatrick, returnee Ashleigh Orchard, following the birth of her daughter 12 months ago, and a fit-again Kathy Baker after her comeback from a serious knee injury.
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Stacey Flood, Emily Lane, Béibhinn Parsons, Erin King, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Eve Higgins, and Megan Burns continue to form the core of the women’s squad, while McNulty is joined by Tokyo Olympians Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy, Hugo Lennox, Jack Kelly, Gavin Mullin and Mark Roche and Olympic debutants Niall Comerford, Chay Mullins and Zac Ward following strong showings in this season’s SVNS Series.
McNulty said: "It is an incredible honour to lead the squad to this summer's Olympics. We performed strongly this season with our highest ever finish on the Series and it is a great foundation for our prep leading into the Games. We have a lot of competition in the squad and it’s driving everyone to push harder every day.
"Paris is coming along very quickly and we are excited for the weeks ahead. We are working really hard to make sure we are in the best shape, mentally and physically, for the Games to maximise our potential and chase our Olympic medal ambitions."
The Men's tournament takes place on July 24, 25 and 27, with Bryan Mollen and Sean Cribbin named as Travelling Reserves while Claire Boles and Amy Larn will also travel to Paris as back-up for the women’s tournament which run son July on 28, 29, 30.
"This is an incredibly exciting time for the Ireland Sevens programme as two teams prepare to compete in Paris,” Rock said.
"For the Women's squad, it has been three cycles of hard work, determination and sacrifice to reach this point, and while we are the lucky 12 who get to pull on the Team Ireland jersey this summer, we are representing so much more than ourselves, but the wider squad, our friends, families, former team-mates, backroom staff and everyone who has supported us on the journey.
"To lead this team out at the Olympics will be an extremely proud moment."
Ireland Sevens Performance Director David Nucifora described the squads’ selections as “a landmark and proud day for us” but also acknowledge the wider squad players who missed out on selection, adding: “They will continue to play an integral role in our preparation for Paris in the weeks ahead.
"The squads will be determined to perform well and represent their country with pride and distinction at the biggest sporting event in the world, and we hope the achievements of our players will help inspire the nation and continue to put the Ireland Sevens programme on the map."
Based at the IRFU High Performance Centre in west Dublin’s Abbottstown, the squads will have a 10-day training camp in Tours, south-west of Paris before travelling to Paris. The city in the Loire Valley was the base for Andy Farrell's Ireland squad during last year's Rugby World Cup. The Pool draws for the Rugby Sevens tournaments will take place on June 23.
: Niall Comerford, Jordan Conroy (Tokyo Olympian), Hugo Keenan, Jack Kelly (Tokyo Olympian), Terry Kennedy (Tokyo Olympian), Hugo Lennox (Tokyo Olympian), Harry McNulty (Tokyo Olympian), Gavin Mullin (Tokyo Olympian), Chay Mullins, Mark Roche (Tokyo Olympian), Andrew Smith, Zac Ward
: Bryan Mollen (Tokyo Olympian), Sean Cribbin
: Kathy Baker, Megan Burns, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Erin King, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Emily Lane, Ashleigh Orchard Béibhinn Parsons, Lucy Rock – captain.
Claire Boles, Amy Larn
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
