Around the Game: News wrap-up
We bring you all the latest news from around the world of women's rugby including the latest on Australia's Wallaroos; details of the new USA head coach and a summary of many of the key domestic leagues.
Published by Alison Donnelly, October 16th, 2018
3 minute read
Ireland will qualify for the Games if they fifinish as a top-four ranked team in the 2018/19 Women’s Sevens Series or as a top ranked team in the 2019 Rugby Europe 7s Grand Prix.
If they win the the European tournament they will automatically qualify, though a second or third-placed finish will give them another shot in a World Repechage.
"It is a huge year for both the women’s and men’s squads as we strive to qualify both teams for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020," said Anthony Eddy, IRFU Director of Women’s and Sevens Rugby.
"The World Series is a massive competition for the women’s programme providing access to top class international opposition across the season and it takes on added significance this year as a direct qualification route for the Olympics.
"The women’s squad will also be competing on the Rugby Europe Grand Prix circuit next summer which is another qualification route for Tokyo."
Women full-time contracts; Kathy Baker (Blackrock College); Ashleigh Baxter (Cooke); Aoife Doyle (Shannon/Railway Union); Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock College); Stacey Flood (Railway Union); Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians); Eve Higgins (Railway Union); Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum); Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union); Audrey O’Flynn (Ireland Sevens Programme); Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere)
Women’s Development Contracts;Claire Boles (Railway Union); Megan Burns (Tullamore); Anna Doyle (Railway Union); Katie Heffernan (Railway Union); Brittany Hogan (Railway Union); Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians); Lucinda Kingham (Monaghan); Emily Lane (Mallow); Anna McGann (Old Belvedere); Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Old Belvedere); Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union); Dorothy Wall (Fethard)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
New Zealand have won the Youth Olympics
Saracens and Loughborough remain top of England's Tyrells Premier 15s
Canterbury and Counties Manukau have reached the final of the Farah Palmer Cup while previous powerhouses Auckland are relegated from the top tier
The Ospreys have retained the Welsh Regional Title
Railway Union stay to of Ireland's domestic league despite not playing at the weekend
Japan won the Asian Sevens Champions having won all three legs of this year’s championship, including the weekend’s tournament in Colombo, Sri Lanka