Alanna Fitzpatrick, from Portarlington, has made her debut for the Ireland Rugby Sevens Women’s Team at the Rugby European Sevens Championship Series in Hamburg, Germany.
Alanna crowned her debut tournament for the Ireland with a try, a major highlight of Ireland’s efforts in the Hamburg Sevens.
The newcomer started both games on the opening day of the tournament and featured heavily across all six games of the tournament.
A member of the PortDara Rugby club, Alanna was one of four players winning their first senior Sevens caps for Ireland at what was the final leg of the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series.
At just 18, Alanna is one of the youngest players to ever represent Ireland in a senior rugby international, mere weeks after finishing her Leaving Cert.
With Olympic qualification already guaranteed, and with no chance of winning the Rugby Europe Championship, most of Ireland’s World Series regulars were absent.
Head Coach, Allan Temple Jones identified the tournament as an important learning experience for new players and those whose game-time has been limited this season.
Results proved hard to come by. Ireland were knocked out of the Cup competition by Belgium, and finished eighth overall after losing to both Czechia and hosts Germany.
The six points picked up in the 30-degree German heat meant Ireland finished sixth overall in the Rugby Europe Championship standings.
France, who fielded one of their strongest squads, won both the Hamburg and European titles after beating Spain the decider.
Ireland’s Women’s Sevens team qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games in May when they beat Fiji In the France Sevens, securing the fourth and final automatic qualification berth through the World Rugby Sevens Series.
Ireland join champions New Zealand, Australia, the USA and hosts France as the fifth team to book their place at next summer’s Games in Paris.
Alanna now has just under a year to try to impress her coaches enough to be considered for selection alongside the likes of Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Lucy Mulhall.
Laois have previously been represented at the Olympics by fellow Portarlington athlete, swimmer, Shane Ryan.
But should Alanna make the cut for the final Olympic Squad, she would become the first Laois-born Olympian in some time.
There was Frank Moore from Emo who represented Ireland in two Olympics in rowing. 1984 in Los Angeles and 1988 in Seoul- and he carried the Irish Flag at opening ceremony.
While Portlaoise’s Anne Keenan Buckley competed for Ireland in Seoul too in the 3000 metres – finishing 24th.
No pressure.
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