Shamrocks target Olympic Sevens

RUGBY:THE FIRST step towards a competitive Irish seven-a-side rugby programme was taken in Dublin yesterday as the Shamrock Warriors announced their recognition by the IRFU as an affiliated club. The hope is that this eventually evolves into representation by both male and female national teams at the 2016 Olympics Games in Rio de Janeiro.

With the long-standing IRFU attitude towards Sevens being at odds with every other major rugby nation – Ireland are not on the IRB circuit – yesterday’s encouraging comments by the Warriors technical director Matt Williams were coupled with cautious approval from Eddie Wigglesworth, the union’s director of rugby.

“The long-term goal is for the Shamrock Warriors to develop a body of experienced Sevens players which the IRFU may tap into depending on the decision re professional Sevens involvement in the Olympic Sevens and IRB Sevens circuit,” stated the Wigglesworth missive.

“The IRFU will make a decision in early 2013 as to our future engagement in both the Olympic and IRB professional circuit. It would be greatly to our advantage to have a body of experienced Sevens players to call upon in the formative years.”

The “may tap into” line is hardly a ringing endorsement but the development of the Warriors by Williams, along with several now-retired players from his time as Leinster coach, gives the project substantial credibility.

Denis Hickie was part of an IRFU committee charged with investigating the viability of developing Sevens and doubles up as the Warriors honorary chairman. Malcolm O’Kelly and Victor Costello are also involved.

The union have always cited a lack of money as the reason to resist seriously developing an Irish Sevens squad.

“We had to have the IRFU support or it wasn’t going to work,” said Williams yesterday. “Whatever day they say we are going to do Sevens, and hopefully it is soon, we should be ready with the structure and the corporate knowledge.”

Sponsorship will be fundamental to this becoming a success but it was worth enquiring how other unions fund Sevens rugby.

“Some countries spend a lot of money because they have a lot of money, like England, whereas Australia doesn’t have a lot of money,” Williams explained. “They have a much smaller budget of around Aust$250,000 (€180,000). One full-time coach, a part-time manager and they don’t have any professionals. They are all part-timers, 18- or 19-year-olds. They won some tournaments last year with a very young group of guys. There are other countries with 10 full-time athletes and they are spending a lot of money but I don’t believe we need to do that. We can do it on a much smaller budget by doing it with much younger players.

“Two or three specialist guys and then 19-year-old guys who might kick on into the 15-man game or they might become Sevens specialists.”

The Warriors are coached by one-time Bective and St Mary’s outhalf Fergal Campion with former Irish captain Sarah Jane Belton overseeing the women’s team. Derek Thornton is the men’s manager while Kazakhstan international Luke O’Callaghan is manager of the women.

The recruitment process will focus on club players, including retired professionals like Andy Dunne and Simon Keogh, and young talent not affiliated to provincial academies.

The development of a women’s programme appears to be more viable as there is no conflict with professionalism. There is also an aspiration to recruit players from Gaelic games.

“I really believe we’ve got an opportunity to win medals (with the women),” said Williams. “We had the first training run last Saturday and the majority of the Irish national team were there already. You look around the GAA circuit at the professionalism of the football and camogie players. Bring five or six of them across. They don’t have to give up their own game but just come on over and play in a few tournaments. They are so athletic that we’ve got a real chance to immediately step over into the elite level.”

A series of trials will take place over the coming weeks before squads of 25 will compete at the Kinsale Sevens (April 30th–May 1st), London Rocks (June 4th–5th) and West Country (June 17th-19th). The men’s team will also play in Newquay Surf Sevens (July 2nd-3rd) in Cornwall.

“Sevens rugby is a hope, a desire, a dream if you want,” added Williams. “When I was at Ulster, Ireland put in a World Cup team and when Darren Cave and Paul Marshall returned I saw a huge difference. What Sevens does for these young guys is put them out on the field, by themselves, in so much space, you have to stand up, you have to make your tackles, and you have to make your runs. There is nowhere to hide. You’re out on the road, living out of a suitcase, you have to be on time, and you are a professional in your actions. You might not be getting money but professionalism is about your actions not your finances.”