11 Irish rugby players have been given full-time contracts as the Women’s Sevens team open their campaign to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
A further 12 players have agreed development contracts ahead of the opening round of the 2018/2019 World Series, which takes place in Colorado this weekend.
The World Series — which consists of six events and finishes next June — is the first of three avenues which Ireland will have to qualify for the Olympics.
The top four World Series teams will qualify for Tokyo, but if Ireland miss out, they can also qualify by winning the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix in 2019.