Ireland national rugby sevens team

Ireland

Union	Irish Rugby Football Union
Coach(es)	Anthony Eddy
Captain(s)	Tom Daly
World Cup Sevens
Appearances	5 (First in 1993)
Best result	1993 Cup Semi-final

The Ireland national rugby sevens team has previously competed in the IRB Sevens World Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens. The team also competes during European qualifying phases for the Summer Olympics.

Although there is no permanent team at present, there may well be in the future. The IRFU announced in 2015 its goal to field a national sevens team that has a chance to qualify for the 2016 Olympics and joins the Sevens World Series by 2017. Ireland finished first in the 2016 Trophy division of the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship, qualifying them to compete in the 2017 Grand Prix division of Rugby Europe.

Ireland competed at the 1973 International Seven-A-Side Tournament, the first rugby sevens tournament for national teams. They defeated New Zealand m Australia and Scotland in the groups phase, and lost to England in the final match.

Ireland has increased its emphasis in rugby sevens since the International Olympic Committee voted in 2009 to restore rugby to the Olympics beginning in 2016. In March 2011, the IRFU announced its support for Shamrock Warriors RFC. The club's aim is to develop a pool of experienced Sevens players for the IRFU to be in position to select to develop into a future international Sevens squad to compete in tournaments by giving them experience playing in the top level competition should the IRFU become involved in professional international sevens or in the Olympic Sevens.

In December 2014 the IRFU issued a notice to all Irish athletes to to see what if could become an Elite Sevens rugby Player. The IRFU hoped to see the best rugby club talent available as well as attracting athletes with transferable skills from other team sports such as athletics, basketball, and Gaelic Games. Four talent identification days were held across Ireland in January 2015.

...
Wikipedia