Final whistle for Irish men’s sevens as union tackles budget woes
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Ireland's Conor Phillips being tackled by Canada's Morgan di Nardo and Kalin Sager in the HSBC Sevens World Championship at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, California on May 3, 2025.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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The Irish Men's Sevens team will be disbanded at the end of the 2024/25 season as part of a significant shift in strategic priorities, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Wednesday.
The announcement comes in the wake of the IRFU’s financial results released last November, which revealed an €18 million (S$26.1 million) deficit for the 2023-24 season.
IRFU's internal review also concluded that the men’s sevens programme does not serve as a meaningful development pathway for the 15-a-side game.
"While the decision to end the men’s sevens programme is a difficult one, it is necessary in order to ensure that our resources are focused on the areas that will have the greatest impact on the future of the game in Ireland," IRFU high performance director David Humphreys said in a statement.
The IRFU also confirmed that the women’s sevens programme will continue to operate as a progression route for the women’s 15s. REUTERS
