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Latest News
Andy Vilk, head coach of Italy men's sevens
4 min read

RWC Sevens 2022 qualifying

Italy men’s sevens team seeks return to the big stage

The European men's qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 is on the horizon with the prize of four tickets to Cape Town, South Africa at stake in July.

RWC Sevens 2022 qualifying

Thu 19 May, 2022
4 min read
HSBC Canada Women's Sevens 2022
4 min read

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Black Ferns Sevens renew riveting rivalry with Australia on HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Australia wrapped up the 2022 Series title in Langford, but the Black Ferns Sevens left Canada with plenty to celebrate as they begin a busy period.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Tue 3 May, 2022
4 min read
Madagascar Women's Sevens
3 min read

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022: Madagascar latest team to book ticket to Cape Town

Following another intense weekend of qualifying action we now know the identity of 12 women's and 20 men's teams who will compete at RWC Sevens 2022.

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Mon 2 May, 2022
3 min read
HSBC Spain Sevens Seville 2022 - Women's
4 min read

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe keen to drive Ireland onto Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

We spoke to the prolific Ireland star about backing up the team’s success in Seville and plotting their path to Cape Town in September.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Tue 26 April, 2022
4 min read
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day Two
5 min read

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Everything you need to know about Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Your guide to RWC Sevens 2022, which will take place in Cape Town between 9-11 September this year.

Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022

Fri 8 April, 2022
5 min read
2018 Highlights
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
08:29 mins

Highlights: New Zealand win big in San Francisco

New Zealand retained their Rugby World Cup Sevens title in San Francisco
Mon 23 July, 2018
08:29 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
07:03 mins

Highlights: New Zealand women's win Rugby World Cup Sevens

Check out all the top action as New Zealand win The Rugby World Cup Sevens in San Francisco
Sun 22 July, 2018
07:03 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day Two
06:30 mins

HIGHLIGHTS: Men's semi-finals confirmed after thrilling day two

Men's semi-finals confirmed after thrilling day two of action at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 #RWC7s
Sun 22 July, 2018
06:30 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco 2018 - Day One
06:51 mins

Highlights: Men's quarter-finals decided

Men's quarter-finals of Rugby World Cup Sevens decided after incredible first day at AT&T Park
Sat 21 July, 2018
06:51 mins
Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018
06:26 mins

Highlights: Women's semi-finals confirmed at Rugby World Cup Sevens

Championship semi-finals confirmed after thrilling day one of action
Sat 21 July, 2018
06:26 mins
Olympic Repechage
Monday 21 June, 2021
3 min read

Billy Dardis: “We’ve done something special for Ireland”

Qualification for the Tokyo Olympics marks another impressive milestone in the journey of Ireland’s men’s sevens team.
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Six years ago the Ireland men’s 15s team were crowned Six Nations champions but their sevens counterparts were still very much a work in progress.

David Nucifora had been appointed IRFU performance director the previous April and a formal sevens programme was one of the first things he put in place.

Nucifora knew the value of sevens as part of the performance and development pathway and fellow Australian Anthony Eddy was recruited as director of rugby sevens.

Eddy assembled a squad of players, some from other sports and others from within rugby who’d perhaps not had the breaks they’d hoped for in 15s, and the team started to rise through the ranks.

It was fitting that one of the ‘the originals’ to have been there from the start, Terry Kennedy, played such an integral role in helping Ireland make it through to the Olympics Games in Tokyo at the expense of France in Monaco this weekend.

The 28-19 victory in the Olympic Repechage was the latest chapter in the remarkable story of this team.

“It’s something we’ve dreamed about for the last number of years,” said Kennedy, whose audacious no-look pass while on his knee in the pool victory over Samoa had to be seen to be believed.

What a deadly interview this is to listen to. The excitement & disbelief of finally getting to achieve the goal of being an Olympian. It’s so exciting for them and all their efforts rewarded. https://t.co/mKqiwgj3ex

— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) June 20, 2021

Rising force

From having a fixture list that included games against the likes of Turkey, Montenegro. Belarus and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the third tier of Rugby Europe’s competition structure, within a short period of time Ireland were taking on, and competing with, the best in the world.

Three straight wins in the pool stages of the Olympic Repechage tournament in 2016 had current Ireland captain Billy Dardis, then one of the novices of the team, dreaming of Olympic glory only for eventual winners Spain to deny them in the quarter-finals.

Dardis and his team had to wait another five years before achieving that goal but there were plenty of highs in between.

The first tangible sign of Ireland’s progress as a serious force in world sevens came at the London Sevens in 2018.

Still not yet a core team on the World Series – that status was earned the following year – Ireland reached their first-ever tournament semi-final before going on to beat hosts England in the bronze medal match.

Jordan Conroy starred that day and was top try scorer on the World Series in 2020 in Ireland’s debut season as a core team.

The speedster took that form with him to Monaco and was again without peers in the finishing stakes, dotting down for 11 tries including two in the 28-19 win against France in the final.

“I’m speechless, I can’t believe we actually did it. All the hard work has paid off and I couldn’t be happier,” said an ecstatic Conroy at the final whistle.

Overwhelmed

After storming through the pool stages with comfortable wins against Zimbabwe (31-10), Mexico (31-0) and Tonga (43-0) and a tougher workout against Samoa (21-7), Ireland advanced to the semi-final where they defeated Hong Kong (28-5), which set up the decider against a France side enjoying the bulk of the support in Stade Louis II.

Kennedy struck first for Ireland before Conroy added a brace and it was left to another of the ‘originals’, Harry McNulty, to seal the deal and a place at the Olympics in just over a month’s time.

Ireland can now look forward to joining hosts Japan, 2016 winners Fiji and Argentina, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Kenya, Korea, New Zealand, South Africa and USA in battling it out for the gold medal.

An emotional Dardis summed up what qualification meant to him and his team and Irish rugby in general.

“When I started about five years ago, we had a good enough team and we played in this tournament in 2016 and I’d only had my first cap a few weeks before. We won our first day and I remember lying in bed thinking, ‘Jesus, we could do something really special here’. We lost that one but we stuck with the programme and each year we kept on getting better,” Dardis said.

“It’s incredible what we have done over a number of years. I thought we were out of it for a while in that first half when they had so much possession and they got in front. But then we got a few lucky bounces, and I think that’s sevens, if the bounce of the ball goes your way you can end up in the Olympics. How cool is that?

“We have done something special for Ireland, for Ireland rugby, for all the kids back home and selfishly, for ourselves. Kids will start playing rugby, maybe, after seeing us at the Olympics.

“It is really overwhelming how much this means to all of us and how big this is.”

 

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Trending News Show all
HSBC London Sevens 2022
7 min read

HSBC London Sevens

South Africa and New Zealand back with a bang in London

South Africa and New Zealand bounced back from shock exits in Toulouse by topping their Pools on day one at Twickenham, while in-form Fiji and Samoa did likewise, and Series leaders Argentina were knocked out.

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HSBC Canada Sevens 2022
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Wed 25 May, 2022
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Alex Davis England Sevens
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HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – London

England sevens skipper Davis: “Let’s embrace and enjoy playing at home”

Ahead of this weekend’s action in Twickenham, captain Alex Davis reveals what it’s like to step out in front of a home crowd in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

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Tue 24 May, 2022
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HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – Toulouse

Fiji and New Zealand the winners after a brilliant HSBC France Sevens

Ireland reach their first ever men’s final as the women’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series comes to an end for 2022 with Australia worthy winners following an outstanding season. Argentina hold a two-point lead over South Africa in the men's Series standings

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – Toulouse

Sun 22 May, 2022
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HSBC France Sevens 2022 Men's
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HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – Toulouse

Big names fall on dramatic day of upsets at HSBC France Sevens in Toulouse

Argentina and Australia were knocked out in the men’s quarter-finals, while Series leaders South Africa and heavyweights New Zealand failed to even make the knockout stages. Australia and New Zealand’s women impressed, while Fiji reached the final four in both events.

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – Toulouse

Sat 21 May, 2022
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HSBC France Sevens 2022 Men's
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HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series - Toulouse

Men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series favourites suffer shock defeats on opening day in Toulouse as women’s champions Australia continue fine form

South Africa, Australia and Argentina were all beaten on the opening day of the HSBC France Sevens men’s event, while New Zealand and Australia caught the eye with some big wins in the women’s competition

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series - Toulouse

Fri 20 May, 2022
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Rikki Swannell becomes first females to commentate on men's series
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Feature

Behind the microphone: Groundbreaker Rikki Swannell

World Rugby talks to the New Zealander about becoming the first female lead commentator on the men’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and her life in sports broadcasting.

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Fri 20 May, 2022
5 min read
Andy Vilk, head coach of Italy men's sevens
4 min read

RWC Sevens 2022 qualifying

Italy men’s sevens team seeks return to the big stage

The European men's qualification tournament for Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 is on the horizon with the prize of four tickets to Cape Town, South Africa at stake in July.

RWC Sevens 2022 qualifying

Thu 19 May, 2022
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Serevi Coaching Roadshow - HSBC Event
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HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Fiji are in Toulouse to win: “There is still room for improvement,” says Gollings

Gold and silver medals in their last two HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series outings have Fiji feeling good ahead of French tournament

HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series

Thu 19 May, 2022
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