Following strong performances in Toulouse and London in May, James Topping’s side currently sit fifth in the World Series standings heading into the finale of the 2022 season at Dignity Health Sports Park.

Squad arrived yesterday

A 15-player squad, captained by Billy Dardis, arrived in Los Angeles yesterday to finalise preparations for the first LA Sevens since 2020.

Eight Olympians are included in the travelling squad, while Ireland U20s Grand Slam winger Chay Mullins and Leinster duo Andrew Smith and Niall Comerford add further World Series experience to the ranks having featured strongly over the course of the 2022 season.

Terry Kennedy will be looking to continue his rich vein of form having been one of the standout performers on the World Series, with the 26-year-old leading the try-scoring charts with 47, nine ahead of Australia’s Corey Toole and Marcos Moneta of Argentina.

This weekend, Ireland will have one eye on building towards the upcoming Rugby World Cup Sevens in Cape Town, which takes place between 9-11 September.

Ireland’s Group

Ireland have been paired in Pool C alongside France, Wales and Fiji, with all the action live from LA on the World Rugby stream here.

Topping’s side open their LA Sevens campaign against France on Saturday (6.48pm Irish time), before facing Wales (10.09pm Irish time) and Fiji (2.05am Irish time) early the following morning Irish time.

“A pleasing World Series season so far”

Commenting ahead of the tournament, the Ireland Head Coach said: “It has been a pleasing World Series season for us so far, particularly as we’ve introduced a number of new players onto this stage since the turn of the year, and the squad are motivated to finish as strong as possible in LA.

“It was a big achievement for the group to reach our first World Series final in Toulouse in May and coming off the back of a Rugby Europe campaign in June and July, we are excited to return to action this weekend. We are also building towards the Rugby World Cup Sevens and performing well in LA will be an important stepping stone for us towards Cape Town.”

Ireland Men’s Sevens Squad, LA Sevens

Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers RFC)
Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Sean Cribbin (Suttonians RFC)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC) (capt)
Ed Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Matt McDonald (IQ Rugby)
Harry McNulty (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College RFC)
Chay Mullins (IQ Rugby)
Aaron O’Sullivan (Blackrock College RFC)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Andrew Smith (Clontarf FC/Leinster).

Ireland Sevens Schedule, LA Sevens

Saturday, August 27:
Ireland v France, 10.48am local time/6.48pm Irish time
Ireland v Wales, 2.09pm local time/10.09pm Irish time
Ireland v Fiji, 6.05pm local time/2.05am Irish time

Sunday, August 28:
Play-off matches

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The sides will play in the tournament from July 26th to July 28th – the pool stage will take place from July 26th to July 27th.

The men’s competition will be held before the Women’s Olympic Sevens tournament gets underway in a reverse to the schedule from the Rio Olympic games in 2016.

The men’s draw split the 12 teams into three pools of four.

POOLS ANNOUNCEMENT

Mouthwatering match-ups in the early stages of the men's competition

The countdown to #Tokyo2020 is #HowWeSevens pic.twitter.com/BNsWcJGMi9

— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) June 28, 2021

Pool A involves bookies’ favourite New Zealand, Australia, Argentina and South Korea.

The former pair will renew their historic rivalry at the Olympics, making it the perfect opportunity for current Rugby World Cup Sevens and World Series champions New Zealand to make a statement in the pool stages.

Argentina will want to improve on their respectable sixth-placed finish at Rio 2016 with an impressive outing in Tokyo.

South Korea round off Pool A and will take part in Olympic Sevens for the first time in its history after winning the Asian qualification tournament with an extra-time ‘golden-point’ try to overcome Hong Kong.

Pool B includes Fiji, Great Britain, Japan and Canada.

Reigning Olympic champions Fiji will want to assert themselves early but face a tough task to do so in Pool B.

Great Britain will want revenge for their 43-7 defeat in the 2016 Olympic Sevens final at the hands of the champions and the draw has given them an opportunity to do that early.

The pair are joined by hosts Japan who will want to get a medal on home soil after their fourth-placed finish in Rio saw them miss out on one.

Another Olympic debutant Canada is the fourth team in this tough group and will have a lot to prove as a result.

The final pool – Pool C – includes Ireland, the USA, South Africa and Kenya.

Ireland are the last of the three Olympic debutants in Tokyo and face some tough challenges in the United States, South Africa and Kenya.

Anthony Eddy’s side beat 2016 quarter-finalists France to reach Tokyo.

The United States come in as third-favourites to win the Men’s Olympic Sevens tournament this summer and will be tough for opponents to handle.

Rio 2016 Bronze medalists South Africa will want to go at least one game further in the competition this summer.

Kenya failed to get out of their group in 2016 but have grown in the five years since and will pose a threat to the other three teams in the pool.

The draw makes for an exciting tournament in late July.

You can read the Irish Rugby announcement here.

The post 7s: Full Olympic Draw appeared first on SportsNewsIreland.

The competition will take place from July 26th to July 28th at Tokyo Stadium in the Japanese capital.

Ireland are familiar with all three of their opponents, having played them during the cancelled 2019-20 HSBC World Rugby Sevens series.

Anthony Eddy’s side has also faced the USA more recently in May at the Great Britain International 7s tournament in May.

The United States will be one of the top sides to beat at the tournament after impressive performances in the truncated World Series season.

Also present in the group are Rio 2016 bronze medalists South Africa.

Ireland drew 19-19 with the side in their last encounter during the Los Angeles round of the World Series on February 29th, 2020.

Ireland 7s stars Jordan Conroy and Billy Dardis got on the scoresheet that day.

The side last faced Kenya in December 2019 during the second round of the World Series in Cape Town.

The two teams played out a 24-24 draw on the day.

“We are familiar with these teams from the World Series and the reality is there are no easy games at this level,” Eddy, the IRFU Director of Sevens and Women’s Rugby, said. “We will prepare well for the Pool matches and look forward to each game. I think the Monaco tournament experience will put us in a good position for Tokyo.”

Ireland captain Billy Dardis described today’s announcement as an exciting marker for the side.

“It is going to be a very challenging Pool but we’ve come up against those three teams regularly before and will take confidence from previous meetings,” said Dardis. “We’re really looking forward to getting over to Tokyo and stepping onto the Olympic stage.”

You can view the announcement here.

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