There was double delight for the Ireland Women's squad in Moscow at the weekend as their qualification for the Rugby World Cup Sevens quarter-finals also booked their place in next season's IRB Women's Sevens World Series.

Ireland qualified for the knock-out stages courtesy of victories over South Africa (12-5) and China (28-10) to finish as Pool B runners-up behind Australia (who defeated them 22-5).

They suffered an agonising 14-5 quarter-final defeat to the USA in the quarter-final, leaking two late tries to the Eagles. Ulster player Amy Davis scored Ireland's only try of the game.

Ireland's achievements in Moscow mark another significant step in their journey towards qualifying for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.

Their top eight finish means they are also guaranteed a place in the 2013/14 IRB Women's Sevens World Series as one of the eight core teams.

The inaugural Women's Sevens World Series was won by New Zealand recently, and took place at four destinations from November through to May - Dubai, Houston, Guangzhou in China and Amsterdam.

Ireland actually made their Series debut as an invitational team at the Guangzhou event in March and won the Plate title, claiming the scalps of Australia and the Netherlands along the way.

Having a Series slot as one of the core teams will really help develop Irish Women's Sevens, with the girls in green able to regularly test themselves against the world's best teams in elite level, high performance competition.

It will also afford rugby fans at home and abroad the chance to closely follow Ireland's fortunes in Women's international Sevens, as this year's first Series created massive interest worldwide.

A large number of broadcasters showed the games in territories all across the world. The last leg of the Series in Amsterdam was shown in 107 countries with a broadcast reach of over 250 million homes across the world.

IRELAND SQUAD LIST:
1. Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
2. Claire Molloy (Bristol/Exile) (capt) *
3. Sophie Spence (Mowden Sharks/Exile) *
4. Jeannette Feighery (UL Bohemians/Munster)
5. Larissa Muldoon (UWIC/Exile) *
6. Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile) *
7. Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht) *
8. Shannon Houston (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
9. Amy Davis (Blackock College/Ulster) *
10. Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
11. Laura O'Mahony (Tralee/Munster)
12. Nicole Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Ireland qualify for IRB Women's Sevens World Series

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