The Irish men's Rugby Sevens team will be a core team on the 2020 World Rugby Sevens Series after winning a qualifying tournament in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Ireland beat Hong Kong 28-7 in the final.
"We're just delighted with this," said Ireland captain Billy Dardis.
"When you reflect on the last 16 to 24 months, it's been a long, hard road. We all just stood on the pitch there and couldn't move. We're just speechless, it's class.
"It won't sink in for a couple of weeks but I'd say we'll be out partying and then we might realise it. We'll celebrate tonight and think about it in the next few months.
"We've got the Olympic qualifiers in the next few months. So, that's our next aim: to qualify for that this summer - that would be two big boxes ticked."
"It won't sink in for a while. It's class. I'm speechless."@irishrugby captain Billy Dardis reflects on his side's qualification to the #HSBC7s 2020 pic.twitter.com/lRKWwa0q9l
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) April 7, 2019
Dardis said the difference between this year and last is that they may have underestimated in the past how competitive a tournament the qualifier can be.
Ireland beat Jamaica and Russia their pool and drew with Uruguay. They again beat Russia in the quarter-final and then Germany in the semi-final.
Jordan Conroy scores in the #HK7s qualifier final as @irishrugby qualified for the #HSBC7s 2020 pic.twitter.com/mJOelmSwrV
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) April 7, 2019
"We're happy to finally get onto the global stage of the World Series with the big boys," said Player of the Tournament Jordan Conroy.
"It didn't sink in with me there, I was so tired but then I shook the hands and I looked up to the mother and the fans and I was like, 'Oh my God, we actually made it'.
"To get the Player of the Tournament and win was amazing. I wouldn't have got it done without the lads. They bloody well worked their asses off to get that ball out to the wing. We reaped the rewards through that hard work - I just finish, you know."
🎥 Interview: @IrishRugby’s Jordan Conroy spoke to us after his side secured their place on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 with qualifiers win #HK7s pic.twitter.com/7gVnMNrSXg
— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) April 7, 2019
