Irish rugby 2024: Big year in store, from the Six Nations to the Olympics

While it promises to be a big year in the XVs game, sevens will take centre stage in the summer with the men’s and women’s teams bidding for Olympic glory in Paris.

This will be the men’s team’s second Olympic campaign having featured at the Tokyo Games in 2021, while the women’s side will be making their debut.

In his last act as the IRFU’s performance director, Nucifora will oversee the preparation programme for the Games with the Australian recently revealing that four XVs players – one from each province – will be given the chance to make the sevens squad for Paris.

This follows France captain Antoine Dupont’s decision to skip the Six Nations in order to chase an Olympic medal.

Ulster’s Robert Baloucoune, Cormac Izuchukwu, Aaron Sexton and Nick Timoney and Leinster’s Hugo Keenan, Jimmy O’Brien and Will Connors all have sevens experience with Ireland.

The Irish women, meanwhile, have an abundance of talent in the shape of Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Beibhinn Parsons and Eve Higgins, but they face a monumental challenge in trying to edge out the likes of Australia, New Zealand and France for medals.