After it was revealed that Antoine Dupont would link up with the French Sevens team ahead of the Olympics in Paris next summer, it seems the IRFU are hoping to go down a similar route after it was announced that the Ireland men's team would be refreshed with some players from the XVs game ahead of the games.
Ahead of the third edition of Sevens rugby at the Olympics, a number of familiar names from around the globe have made their interest in trying out the code known. Dupont is the most obvious example, with Australia's Michael Hooper also making the switch.
Now, the Ireland squad could be boosted in a similar manner.
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Ireland Sevens team to be boosted by XVs stars for Olympics
It was announced today that the IRFU had reached an agreement with the provincial teams that could see one player from each province called up to the Ireland Men's Sevens team for next summer's Olympics. They are likely to target players with previous experience in that code.
As to how it will work, IRFU High Performance Director David Nucifora said it would likely see players splits their time between the Sevens and XVs games over the first half of 2024.
With regards to the Men’s Sevens, we’ve reached an agreement with the provinces that we will have the ability to select one contracted player from each province for the Olympics.
That will be done in agreement with the player. More than likely that player will be a player that has come through the Sevens programme at some stage, so they’re familiar with the game.
And it will also be a fact that we’ll work with the province and the player and look to integrate that player, or players, in the backend of this season to be able to see where they fit and whether they can earn their selection in the Olympic squad, which will probably be named in late June, early July....
They’d still certainly be playing the Six Nations if they were selected.
The lead-in time would look at how it affects and works in with their provincial requirements at the moment so it might be that a player might come and play a tournament, one of the World Series tournaments prior to the end and then go back into provincial rugby, then come back again.
It sounds as though the involved players would be available for the Six Nations and the majority of their domestic club season should they join the Sevens setup, although they would likely miss the tour to South Africa next summer.
Hugo Keenan is one high profile Irish player that has come through the Sevens game, although the Leinster man recently said that his sole focus was on winning the Champions Cup this season.
However, this new arrangement could mean that he and other players are more open to the prospect of a return for the Olympics.
Off the back of an impressive performance during the recent tournament in Cape Town, adding some talented players from the XVs game would be a boost to Ireland ahead of the Olympics.
It will be interesting to see what players put their hands up for inclusion over the coming months.
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