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The Ireland men’s sevens team is to be cut at the end of the 2024-25 season.

The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) says the move is “part of a broader strategic effort to ensure long-term financial sustainability”.

The women’s programme, however, is unaffected and will remain a “key development pathway” for the women’s XVs game, the union added.

In November, the IRFU’s financial results showed an 18m euro (£15.1m) deficit for the 2023-24 season.

The IRFU also said its assessment concluded that the men’s sevens programme “does not contribute as a development pathway for the XVs game”, adding that the provincial academy structures are offering “greater development opportunities”.

“While the decision to end the men’s sevens programme is a difficult one, it is necessary in order to ensure that our resources are focused on the areas that will have the greatest impact on the future of the game in Ireland.

“We are committed to making sure that this transition is handled with the utmost respect for all those who have contributed to the success of the sevens programme.”

The men’s sevens side played their last tournament in Los Angles earlier this month, finishing 11th and suffering relegation in the World SVNS Series.

They reached two Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021 and in Paris last summer, finishing 10th in Japan and sixth in France.

Ulster trio Nick Timoney, Robert Baloucoune and Zac Ward all played for Ireland’s sevens side as did established Ireland 15s international Tadgh Beirne.

Ward, alongside Leinster and Ireland 15s international Hugo Keenan, featured in the sevens Olympics squad in Paris.

IRFU CEO Kevin Potts said that he was “very proud” of everything the sevens side has achieved.

“We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the success of the men’s sevens programme, especially in achieving qualification for the Tokyo and Paris Olympic games.

Alice Capsey hit a brilliant 125 off 96 balls as Surrey’s One-Day Cup game against The Blaze at Beckenham ended in a dramatic tie.

Amy Jones (80 off 76) and Georgia Elwiss (82 off 69) led the visitors to 346-9 – the second-highest total in the competition so far – and Elwiss then claimed 3-35 as Surrey slumped from 156-2 to 170-5.

But Capsey hit five sixes and nine fours before falling to Grace Ballinger and with Surrey needing nine off the final over, their last-wicket pair could only manage eight.

Despite losing Tammy Beaumont for eight, The Blaze maintained a healthy scoring rate against Surrey, thanks to Jones, Elwiss and Kathryn Bryce who made 56.

But the innings was also lit up by a full-length diving catch by keeper Kira Chathli to remove Sarah Bryce for 34, from the bowling of Alexa Stonehouse (2-65).

The Blaze total looked set to bring them a fifth win despite Danni Wyatt-Hodge’s 43 off 40 balls and 37 off 31 by Paige Scholfield, who put on 74 with Capsey for the third wicket.

Capsey, though, made the most of being dropped by Elwiss at deep mid-wicket on six and reached her century off 84 balls but had another escape before finally being caught at the start of the 46th over with 40 needed.

Stonehouse hit two sixes in an unbeaten 32 off 18 balls but number 11 Dani Gregory could only manage one of the two runs needed off the final ball as they finished on the same score as The Blaze, the second tie in the competition.

“With a big run chase today it was the perfect opportunity to bat and we all know that at Beckenham 350 is about par these days,” said Capsey.

“This is just the start of the county stuff, I can’t wait to see where it is in two or three years’ time. There’s also an element to it becoming more professional each year and the skill level getting higher and higher.”

At Edgbaston, on the day when she was selected for England’s first one-day squad under new head coach Charlotte Edwards, Lamb followed previous scores of 130 not out, 52, 86, 43, 20 and 74 by hitting a six and 10 fours to take her overall total to 493 runs.

She put on 116 with Katie Mack (57) and following a breathtaking slip catch by Katie George, who was initially wrongfooted by Seren Smale’s edge, Sophie Ecclestone, who was left out of Edwards’ squad as England manage her return from a knee injury, weighed in with 50 off 49 balls in her first game in the competition as Lancashire reached 276-8.

George top-scored with 35 in Warwickshire’s reply, but they were all out for 175 in the 48th over as Fi Morris recorded figures of 5-48.

“It was a really good all-round performance by the ream. I thought par on that pitch was 230 so we did really well to get up to 280,” said Morris.

In the battle of the bottom two at Chelmsford, Durham were convincing winners over Essex, who suffered their sixth defeat in seven games.

Mady Villiers took 3-28 as the home side were bowled out for 178 and then helped Rogers add 98 after Durham had been reduced to 55-3 in reply.

Chelmsford: Essex v Surrey

Arundel: Hampshire v Warwickshire

Blackpool: Lancashire v Durham