Ireland Women’s Sevens claim 3rd in Kazan and qualify for World Cup

The Irish Women’s Sevens side hammered France 40-0 on Sunday in their final game of the Kazan 7s tournament to claim third spot and finish second overall in the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series.

The victory means Anthony Eddy’s squad have qualified for the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens courtesy of back to back 3rd place finished in the Grand Prix Series.

England who finished runners in Kazan, claimed the second qualifying spot for next year’s World Cup tournament in San Francisco.

It is Ireland’s best ever finish in the series and caps a fantastic 2016/2017 campaign which included a ninth place finish in the World Series as well as first ever wins over Fiji, England and France.

It is a testament to the work and effort put in by the team as well as the backing they have received from the IRFU. It has been a steady rise for the women’s 7s program who just three years ago were ranked 8th in Europe.

A seven try rout saw Ireland cruise past Portugal 49-7 in their quarter final this morning with a brace from Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe. However hopes of a final spot were ended by hosts Russia in a 27-5 semi final defeat.

Ireland regrouped and responded with a clinical 40-0 demolition of the French with Murphy Crowe again to the fore scoring four tries to take her weekend total to nine equalling her Malemort total last month.

2018 will mark the second time that the Ireland Women have competed in a Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament. They reached the quarter-finals in 2013 on the way to finishing seventh overall.

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens Grand Prix Series – Leg 2, Central Stadium, Kazan, Russia, Saturday, July 8-Sunday, July 9):

Claire Boles (Enniskillen/Ulster)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Kim Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar/Railway Union (dual status))/Leinster)
Anna McGann (Buccaneers/UCD (dual status))/Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum/Leinster) (capt)

RUGBY EUROPE WOMEN’S SEVENS GRAND PRIX SERIES – KAZAN 7s RESULTS:

Saturday, July 8 – Pool C:

Ireland 17 Poland 7, Central Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Louise Galvin, Megan Williams, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe; Con: Kim Flood

Team: Katie Heffernan, Megan Williams, Katie Fitzhenry, Kim Flood, Stacey Flood (capt), Louise Galvin, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs: Audrey O’Flynn, Lucy Mulhall, Claire Keohane, Hannah Tyrrell, Claire Boles.

Ireland 48 Sweden 0, Central Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Hannah Tyrrell 2, Stacey Flood 2, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Lucy Mulhall, Kim Flood, Claire Boles; Cons: Lucy Mulhall 3, Kim Flood

Team: Audrey O’Flynn, Megan Williams, Kim Flood, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Hannah Tyrrell, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs: Katie Heffernan, Claire Keohane, Katie Fitzhenry, Louise Galvin, Claire Boles.

Ireland 17 England 21, Central Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Lucy Mulhall, Hannah Tyrrell, Megan Williams; Con: Lucy Mulhall

Team: Megan Williams, Kim Flood, Katie Fitzhenry, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Hannah Tyrrell, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs: Katie Heffernan, Claire Keohane, Louise Galvin, Claire Boles.

Sunday, July 9:

Cup Quarter-Final: Portugal 7 Ireland 49, Central Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Katie Fitzhenry, Megan Williams, Lucy Mulhall, Stacey Flood, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe 2; Cons: Lucy Mulhall 6, Kim Flood

Team: Megan Williams, Kim Flood, Katie Fitzhenry, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Louise Galvin, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs: Hannah Tyrrell, Katie Heffernan, Claire Keohane, Claire Boles.

Cup Semi-Final: Russia 27 Ireland 5, Central Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Try: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe

Team: Megan Williams, Kim Flood, Katie Fitzhenry, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Louise Galvin, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs: Katie Heffernan, Claire Keohane, Claire Boles.

3rd-4th Place Play-Off: Ireland 40 France 0, Central Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe 4, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall; Cons: Lucy Mulhall 5

Team: Megan Williams, Katie Fitzhenry, Louise Galvin, Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Hannah Tyrrell, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs: Katie Heffernan, Kim Flood, Claire Keohane, Claire Boles.

For the full Rugby Europe Women’s Sevens Grand Prix Series results, pool tables and final tournament and series standings, please visit the tournament website.