Manama: Bahrain-born Harry McNulty’s dream of competing at the Rio Olympics has taken a significant step closer to reality after he and the Ireland Sevens team successfully qualified for the World Rugby Olympic Repechage Tournament.
Having strolled through the Rugby Europe Division C and B tournaments earlier this summer, the Irish squad – which was only established in May – needed a third-place finish in the Rugby Europe Olympic Repechage Tournament in Lisbon over the weekend.
In easily the toughest test of their Olympic credentials to date, McNulty and co fell behind by 19-5 to the number-one ranked side and IRB Sevens Series regulars Russia in their opening pool game but the former St Christopher’s School student was one of three second half scorers as Ireland clawed their way back to a draw.
Having pipped Georgia 21-19 in their second game, the Irish secured the third seeding for Sunday’s quarter-final with a commanding 33-15 victory over Italy.
McNulty scored again in the 17-0 win over Lithuania in the last eight but there was little he could do stop Russia earning a deserved 24-10 win in the semis meaning the third-place play-off against Georgia was now a must-win.
Thankfully, the young squad was able to regroup from their first defeat of the year in time to see off Georgia and earn the bronze medal. Having scored only once over the course of the previous two tournaments, McNulty touched down for his third try of the weekend and with further scores from Ian Fitzpatrick and Terry Kennedy, Ireland got the job done.
The 12-team World Olympic Repechage Tournament takes place in June of next year, when Ireland will have to win outright to claim the final spot in Rio.
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