Lucy Mulhall captianed Ireland Rugby 7s side to win automatic Paris 2024 qualification after the team beat Fiji this past Sunday in Toulouse.
This was a momentous day for the team, made even more special for captain Mulhall as the match against Fiji also corresponded with her 50th tournament cap for Ireland 7s.
Mulhall was a part of the 7s squad that narrowly missed out on competing at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 games. The Ireland Women's 7s side has now become the first Irish Rugby team to automatically qualify for the Olympic games through the World Series.
"We do it for our families. Rugby's become a family"
Pure joy and exhilaration for Ireland's captain, @LucyMulhall after qualifying for #Paris2024 🥰#HowWeSevens | @IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/S8DQDSNHhr— World Rugby 7s (@WorldRugby7s) May 14, 2023
“It’s been a journey for us and I am so grateful to have a team like that around us,” Mulhall said.
"Players, families, it’s been an amazing year and our goal is just to grow 7s in Ireland.”
Our Why💚💚 https://t.co/BLJ7Gt25YT
— Lucy Mulhall (@LucyMulhall) May 14, 2023
Mulhall insists that her Ireland Sevens team have their eyes set on winning a medal in Paris next summer, ten years after the squad took their first tentative steps on the long road to Olympic qualification.
“It’s taken so long and we’ve done so much work to get here so it’s great to have a year to focus on performing really well at Olympic level,” said Mulhall, after the 10-5 win against Fiji in Toulouse's Stade Ernest-Wallon.
“This will grow the game but winning a medal will grow it even more and that will be our goal now. It’s massive for the game. It’s exciting we have time now to build towards that."
“We just want to grow the game and show women there are plenty of good news stories out there. This can inspire young women to play for their country because this is an amazing sport and it suits our DNA.”
The historic Olympic qualifiers (coached by Allen Temple-Jones).
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC)
Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)
Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC) (capt)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC)
