Ireland Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has announced that, following a comprehensive review of its Sevens programmes at the end of the 2024 Olympic cycle, it has decided to cease the Men’s Sevens programme after the conclusion of the 2024/25 season.
The IRFU stated that this move is part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability and to focus on key initiatives outlined in the Union’s strategic plan.
The announcement comes in the wake of the IRFU’s financial results released last November, which showed an €18 million deficit for the 2023/24 season. As part of its efforts to manage this shortfall and secure a sustainable financial future, the IRFU has been reviewing all of its programmes to identify areas for optimisation and prioritisation.
“While the decision to end the Men’s Sevens programme is a difficult one, it is necessary to ensure that our resources are focused on the areas that will have the greatest impact on the future of the game in Ireland,” said IRFU High Performance Director David Humphreys.
The Union further stated that its assessment concluded the Men’s Sevens programme does not serve as a development pathway for the 15s game, with the current academy structures within the provinces offering greater development opportunities for men’s rugby.
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The Women’s Sevens programme, however, will remain operational. The IRFU has confirmed that it will continue to serve as a key development pathway for the Women’s 15s programme.
“It’s important to note that the Women’s Sevens programme remains a critical part of our development strategy for Women’s 15s rugby. We fully recognise the need for a structured pathway for our female athletes and are committed to continuing the growth of the Women’s programme. The women’s game is still in its infancy, and as the structures within it evolve, we will continue to monitor the impact that Sevens has as a development opportunity,” added Humphreys.
Ireland’s Men’s Sevens team played their last tournament in Los Angeles earlier this month, finishing 11th and suffering relegation from the World SVNS Series.
The team competed at two Olympic Games—Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024—finishing 10th in Japan and sixth in France.
