The Women’s side will take part in the first stage of the HSBC Women’s Rugby Sevens Series, while the men will play in the Men’s Invitational tournament.

The Women’s side travel to Dubai as one of the core teams that will participate in the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, having qualified alongside Japan at the Ireland Women’s Sevens tournament in UCD this summer. They are grouped with USA, Canada and Fiji.

The Men’s side will play in the Invitational tournament and will face Belgium 7s and UK side Apache on the opening day.

Speaking ahead of the sides setting out for Dubai, Anthony Eddy, IRFU Director of Rugby Sevens, said: “The Dubai Sevens is the start of a very important number of months for our Sevens teams.

The women have requalified for the World Sevens Series and will be testing themselves against the best teams in the world. They are looking forward to the upcoming challenge of the USA, Canada and Fiji.

Our men’s team will also gain valuable experience competing in the tournament as we build towards the Olympic repechage games in 2016”.

Ireland Women’s Sevens (HSBC Women’s World Sevens Dubai, UAE – Thursday, Dec 3 – Friday, Dec 4)

Ashleigh Baxter (Cooke/Ulster)
Megan Williams (St. Mary’s/Leinster)
Sene Naoupu (Galwegians/Connacht)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum/Leinster) (capt)
Eimear Considine (TID)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Amee-Leigh Crowe (St. Mary’s/Munster)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)
Audrey O’Flynn (TID)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)

Ireland Women’s Sevens Fixtures

Thursday, December 3:
USA v Ireland, 12.42pm local time / 4.42pm Irish time

Canada v Ireland, 3.16pm local time / 7.16pm Irish time
Fiji v Ireland, 6.35pm local time / 10.35pm Irish time

Friday, December 4:
CUP/BOWL/PLATE PLAYOFF

Ireland Men’s Sevens (Emirates Airline International Invitational Men, Dubai, UAE – Friday, Dec 4 – Saturday, Dec 5):

Adam Byrne (UCD/Leinster)
Aaron Cairns (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Tom Daly (Lansdowne/Leinster) (capt)
Barry Daly (UCD/Leinster)
Dan Goggin (Young Munster / Munster)
Foster Horan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Gearoid Lyons (Young Munster/Munster)
David McGuigan (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Rory O’Loughlin (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Nick Timoney (Queen’s University/Ulster)
Steve Toal-Lennon (St.Mary’s/Leinster)

Ireland Men’s Sevens Fixtures:

Friday, December 4:
Belgium Rugby 7s v Ireland, 1.00pm local time / 5.00pm Irish time
Apache v Ireland, 4.00pm local time / 8.00pm Irish time
BYE

Saturday, December 5:
CUP/BOWL/PLATE PLAYOFF