Rugby - Ireland Women's 7s Squad confirmed for Langford 7s

Director of Women's and 7s Rugby, Anthony Eddy has named the Ireland Women's 7s squad to travel to Canada to compete at the fifth stage of the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series in Langford on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th of May.

The team finished in 9th place at the Kitakyushu 7s in Japan, and are in 9th place in the overall standings.

The squad of13 players will be captained by Lucy Mulhall.

Ashleigh Baxter, Kim Flood, Stacey Flood, Louise Galvin, Claire Keohane, Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe, Sene Naoupu, Audrey O'Flynn, Hannah Tyrrell who all competed in Japan are all once again named in the squad.

Mullingar's Katie Heffernan, who was the 13th squad member in Las Vegas and Japan, will make her World Series debut this should she be named in the match day squad, as will UCD player Anna McGann, who will be aiming to make her first appearance for the senior side. Both players have come through the Ireland 7s development programme, and were on the Irish Development side that played in Dubai last December and in the Dublin 7s. Chloe Blackmore of St. Mary's College RFC completes the squad.

Ireland's Pool C opponents in Langford are Australia, Fiji and Spain.

It will be the fifth consecutive tournament that Ireland will meet Fiji, while it will be the fourth time this season that they will come up against Australia. They have also met Spain twice already this season, winning both of those encounters.

Ahead of the competition, Eddy said;

"We're looking forward to travelling to Canada for the fifth event of the World Series. Victoria is a great location and I know the players have enjoyed being based there in previous years.

We will be looking for a positive start and a good team performance on day one. We're up against three teams who we're very familiar in Fiji, Australia and Spain. They're going to be three tough games, so we really need to be on our game and look to get some good results to set us up for a good day two.”

Ireland Women's 7s Squad for Langford 7s
Ashleigh Baxter (Cooke RFC / Ulster)
Chloe Blackmore (St.Mary's College RFC / Munster)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemian RFC / Munster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster)
Kim Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemian RFC / Munster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar RFC / Railway Union RFC (dual status) /Leinster)
Anna McGann (UCD RFC / Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum RFC / Leinster) (captain)
Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union RFC / Munster)
Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls)
Audrey O'Flynn (Ireland Sevens Programme)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster)


HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series – Langford 7s – Ireland Fixtures
Pool C – Day 1 – 27th May
Ireland v Fiji – 11.14am (local) / 7.14pm (Irish time)
Ireland v Australia - 2.20pm (local) / 10.20pm (Irish time)
Ireland v Spain – 4.42pm (local) / 12.42am - Sunday (Irish time)
 
Day 2- 28th May
Play-offs

For more information on the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, visit here: http://www.worldrugby.org/womens-sevens-series