Rugby’s traditional off season is being filled this year with Irish teams performing well across Europe both in the World U20 Championships and in the first real push towards Men’s 7’s.
The U20’s face a group decider in Italy on Wednesday against New Zealand with hope that this will be as much of a breakthrough on the men’s side as the Women’s team achieved at last year’s World Cup Finals in France.
Over the weekend the Irish Men’s 7’s scored 91 points in completing a resounding victory in the European Division C tournament in Bosnia. They now move onto Division B in two weeks time in Croatia.
Victory there would qualify for them to play in the European Olympic Repechage in July and another win there would give them a shot at qualification for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
It’s a high octane whirlwind tour but it’s started well and who knows maybe the late start will not stop a team going all the way to Rio.
The team played without sponsors branding on their shirt in Bosnia and come the Olympics that would also be beyond what was allowed.
