Ireland scraps men’s sevens

The Irish Rugby Football Union will axe its men’s sevens programme at the end of the 2024-25 season.

The Ireland men’s sevens team competed at the 2021 and 2024 Olympic Games, finishing 10th and sixth respectively.

They finished second on the 2023-24 SVNS Series standings, before dropping to 11th this past season.

The IRFU said the decision “is part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability and focus on key initiatives outlined in the union’s strategic plan.”

The IRFU reported a €18-million (R367-million) loss for the 2023-24 season, having spent €4.2-million (R85-million) on sevens.

The statement added: “The union’s assessment concluded that the men’s sevens programme does not contribute as a development pathway for the fifteens game, with current academy structures in place within the provinces offering greater development opportunities for men’s rugby.”

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The IRFU said its women’s sevens programme will continue as it “plays a vital role in the development of female players is currently aligned with the growing strength of the women’s fifteens game in Ireland.”

World Rugby recently announced a new three-division SVNS Series format that reduces the number of teams in the top tier from 12 to eight from next season.

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