Ireland Women’s Sevens captain Claire Molloy said, today (26 June), that her 12-woman squad are “ready and relishing” their Rugby World Cup Sevens challenge this weekend after completing their first training session in Moscow ahead of Saturday’s crucial games against South Africa, Australia and China.
The squad, which contains several of Ireland’s Grand Slam winners, including Ireland’s most capped player Lynne Cantwell, will be looking for big performances this weekend as they continue on their Olympic sevens programme for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Ireland’s Lynne Cantwell, Alison Miller and Ashleigh Baxter will host a live questions and answers session at 6pm (Irish time) tomorrow on the IRB Women’s Rugby twitter account @irbwomens.
Speaking ahead of the games this weekend Claire Molloy said:
“When we started the Sevens programme last year we set the Rugby World Cup as our goal. We worked very hard and are ready and relishing the challenge ahead this weekend.”
“This is the latest step in our Olympic Sevens Programme and while our ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics we are focused on big games against South Africa, Australia and China this Saturday. ”
Lynne Cantwell, Ireland’s most capped player, said:
“We have a really tough and exciting pool of hugely varied playing styles in Australia, South Africa and China. As a player, I enjoy watching how Australia play as they have a lot of fearless and exciting players who have so much to offer. They would be wrong to underestimate us as we proved you can’t take your eye off the prize by beating them in China.”
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, Gorodok Stadium, Luzhniki Olympic Complex, Moscow, Russia, Saturday, June 29-Sunday, June 30):
1. Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
2. Claire Molloy (Bristol/Exile) (capt) *
3. Sophie Spence (Mowden Sharks/Exile) *
4. Jeanette Feighery (UL Bohemians/Munster)
5. Larissa Muldoon (UWIC/Exile) *
6. Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile) *
7. Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht) *
8. Shannon Houston (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
9. Amy Davis (Blackock College/Ulster) *
10. Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
11. Laura O’Mahony (Tralee/Munster)
12. Nicole Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Injured: Niamh Briggs, Niamh Kavanagh, Ashling Hutchings, Claire Keohane, Carol Staunton.
* Players Involved in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations Championship
Ireland Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens Fixtures –
Saturday, June 29 – Pool B
South Africa v Ireland, Gorodok Stadium, 10.06am local time/7.06am Irish time
Australia v Ireland, Gorodok Stadium, 12.40pm local time/9.40am Irish time
China v Ireland, Luzhniki Stadium, 3.58pm local time/12.58pm Irish time
Sunday, June 30 – Play-Offs
Photo Caption
Irish Women’s Sevens Captain Claire Molloy in Red Square Moscow at the launch of the 2013 IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens
Ireland Captain Claire Molloy (front row, second from right) joins captains from competing nation in Red Square at the launch of the 2013 IRB Rugby World Cup Sevens
