Olympic sevens shot 'absolutely' available for Ireland stars

A number of Ireland's 15s players will get a chance to try out for the sevens team ahead the Olympic Games.

Scott Bemand’s charges finished their Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign on a high with a victory over Scotland on Saturday that secured third place and automatic qualification for next year’s World Cup.

Béibhinn Parsons, Eve Higgins, Aoibheann Reilly and Katie Heffernan, an unused substitute on Saturday, are among those who have crossed over between the codes.

There are two more World Series events, in Singapore and Madrid next month, before the Paris Games in July and Bemand told RTÉ Sport that he has held discussions with Ireland sevens head coach Allan Temple-Jones about his squad selection.

Players like winger Corrigan, who scored three tries in her first Six Nations, and back row Aoife Wafer, Ireland’s player of the tournament, could come into the equation.

"Absolutely. We want to represent Irish rugby to the highest possible standard that we can," said the 45-year-old.

"The great work that Katie has been doing absolutely there’s discussions being had and Katie will get an opportunity to put her hand up for an Olympics.

"Myself and TJ [Allan Temple-Jones] have had continued and good conversations around players.

"It's up to him (TJ) in terms of his selections and where it goes from there but players are available."

Asked about her experience with sevens and a possible shot at becoming an Olympian, 20-year-old Corrigan (above) said: "I did underage sevens and I went to Marcoussis in France a few times and yeah, I like the sevens but playing now, you got a taste of the 15s and I love that as well. Yeah, I don’t know."

However, one player who has ruled herself out of contention is Brittany Hogan, player of the match in