A 28-7 victory over Hong Kong this morning ensured that Ireland will be a core team in the 2020 World Rugby Sevens Series. The irish team had beaten Jamaica and Russia their pool and drew with Uruguay. Russia were beaten again in the quarter-final before a semi-final 19-10 win against Germany. The victory in the qualifying tournament will give Ireland a timely confidence boost as they face into Olympic qualifiers later this year. "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 "When you reflect on the last 16 to 24 months, it's been a long, hard road,” said Ireland captain Billy Dardis. “We're just delighted with this. We all just stood on the pitch there and couldn't move. We're just speechless, it's class. "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." 🎥 Interview: @IrishRugbyâs 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 Player of the tournament Jordan Conroy added: "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. "We're happy to finally get onto the global stage of the World Series with the big boys." The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross has also passed on his congratulations to the team. "I would like to congratulate the team for their excellent performance in winning the World Rugby Sevens Series Qualifier Tournament and their victory over Hong Kong in the final,” Minister Ross said. "This team has come agonisingly close to achieving qualification over recent years, so it is fantastic to see them take their place at the highest level of international Sevens Rugby. "I would like to commend the players and their coaching team led by Anthony Eddy and Stanley McDowell for their hard work and dedication to achieve this outstanding result." Online Editors<doc-sep>Ireland remain unbeaten after their opening two fixtures at the World Rugby Seven Series qualifying tournament in Hong Kong. They followed up this morning's 26-0 win over Jamaica, with a 26-26 draw against Uruguay. They led the second-game at half-time by 19 points, but they couldn't hold on for the victory. Ireland next play Russia at 3.08am Saturday, before hopefully qualifying for tomorrow's quarter-finals and Sunday's semis and final. Only the tournament winner earns a place in next season's World Rugby Seven Series. The nascent programme (only reformed in 2015) went close in last year's qualifiers, losing out to Japan in the last four. #IreM7s A late Uruguay fight back earns the South Americans a 26-26 draw in Ireland's second Pool F game at the Hong Kong 7s. Ireland will face Russia tomorrow in their final Pool game.#DestinationSevens #HongKong7s pic.twitter.com/8k9Ck2ajJm — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) April 5, 2019 After this event, Ireland will enter an Olympic qualifying event in France in July and if their quest to make Tokyo 2020 fails there, they will have a final opportunity at a repechage event.<doc-sep>The Ireland Men’s 7s are through to the semi-finals of the World Rugby 7s Qualification Tournament in Hong Kong, having defeated Russia 47-0 in today’s quarter-final. They will meet Germany tomorrow at 5.32am (Irish time). Anthony’s Eddy’s side came up against European rivals Russia twice on Day 2 at a lively Hong Kong Stadium. The first meeting came in the final Pool F fixture early in the day. In sweltering conditions, Ireland came away with a 33-7 victory, thanks to a hat-trick of tries from Tullamore man Jordan Conroy, with Greg O’Shea and Adam Leavy also crossing the whitewash. Captain Billy Dardis added three conversions, with Mark Roche tacking on one at the end to send Ireland into the Quarter-Finals as 3rd place seeds. Defending against @irishrugby flyer Jordan Conroy is the stuff of nightmares. #HK7s pic.twitter.com/XreyY3kRx8 — World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) April 6, 2019 The draw would mean that Ireland would again face the same opposition later in the evening, albeit in cooler temperatures. Ireland came out of the blocks strongly, with Terry Kennedy touching down within 60 seconds. Conroy was next to cross for his first of two tries in the game. Harry McNulty scored his first try of the tournament with a strong run to send Ireland into half-time with a 28-0 lead. Ireland picked up where they left off in the second-half, with Kennedy scoring his second, while Greg O’Shea also dotted down twice. Dardis kicked six out of seven conversions to give his side a convincing 47-0 win. Ireland come up against a German side who were pushed all the way in their own Quarter-Final against Uruguay. It took a try on the hooter to send the German side through. Chile will face hosts Hong Kong in the other Semi-Final, with the overall winner of the Qualification Tournament earning a place as a core team on next season’s World Rugby World Series.<doc-sep>
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."