It’s been a difficult season for Ireland Women 7’s in their first season of the IRB Women’s Sevens World Series and given the amount of money and resources thrown at this discipline you would have to say it’s been a disappointment.
In the five IRB WSWS events played this year the results have been as follows.
| Event | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Final Standing |
| Dubai | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11th of 12 |
| USA | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 12th of 12 |
| Brazil | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11th of 12 |
| China | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9th of 12 |
| Netherlands | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 11th of 12 |
| Total | 25 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 13th of 17 |
Work has been done to bring more talent into Women’s Rugby with the Talent ID Programme, there are three players from this programme in the current sevens squad, but it has been at the expense of developing the women’s 15’s game which didn’t get an opportunity to kick on following their great success in the 2012 – 13 Six Nations.
As it is the sevens programme is drinking in the last chance saloon this weekend at the European Women’s Sevens Grand Prix in Moscow with regards to re-qualification for the WSWS with a top five finish required if they are to progress to the WSWS re-qualification event in September.
You would expect England, Russia, Spain, Netherlands and France to finish above Ireland, going on past results, but the Irish girls have produced one off wins against Netherlands and Spain so the draw at the knock out stages could be vital for their chances.
They have been placed in a reasonable group with England, Portugal and Belgium where a second place finish is a possibility, but anything less will count them out of the WSWS for next season.
The squad once again features Belfast Harlequins and Ulster player Nikki Caughey.
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS SQUAD:
1. Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster) (capt)
2. Martina McCarthy (St. Mary’s/Talent ID Programme)
3. Elaine Ryan (Talent ID Programme)
4. Nicole Cronin (Shannon/Munster)
5. Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians/Munster)
6. Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
7. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Clanwilliam/Munster)
8. Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
9. Nikki Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/ Ulster)
10. Siobhan Barrett (Tralee/ Munster)
11. Laura Lee Walsh (Talent ID Programme)
12. Susan Vaughan (Railway Union/Leinster)
IRELAND FIXTURES: POOL B – Saturday, June 7
IRELAND v Portugal, 11.28am local time/8.28am Irish time
IRELAND v Belgium, 2.28pm local time/11.28am Irish time
England v IRELAND, 5.28pm local time/2.28pm Irish time
