Women in Sport Week Article
Éabha:
The best part about playing rugby is seeing people’s reaction when I tell them I play. It’s usually a surprise, followed by ‘really?’ or ‘fair play!’.
I started playing rugby on my brother’s team when I was 9 years old. I was the only girl and most of the boys didn’t talk to me. When I got to U13s I wasn’t allowed to play with the boys anymore so I joined a girls team with Tallaght RFC.
I left that team last year after hearing that my old club St Mary’s College RFC had girls youth teams. We amalgamated with CDS which is a combined squad made up of Coolmine, DLSP, Seapoint and now Mary’s! They were really welcoming to us five Mary’s girls. There was never any tension as we all just wanted to get stuck into playing matches.
I feel really strong, empowered and proud when I play rugby because women representation is really important.
I’d love to see more support for our provincial and national women’s teams. I’d also love to see them play in the Aviva some day too!
Marlayna:
I come from a rugby household, but I think that I love it the most. I started playing in Mary’s when I was 14, after I got really inspired from watching one of the Irish Women’s matches. It’s a big part of my life ever since.
I look forward to training every week because I get to play the sport I love while also having fun with my friends and being able to have a laugh together.
My favourite part about matches is travelling to different counties and having fun with people who share the same passion as me, no matter what the score is.
I hope to see more girls getting involved in the future and to see the game grow.
Caolinn:
I began playing rugby when I was 5 years old and I’ve never really looked back. Rugby has offered me a social outlet my whole life and it has taught me invaluable skills and I’ve made some lifelong friends.
Last October I and my four fellow Mary’s teammates, joined CDS. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so at home on a team before. The team is a fantastic example of everything women’s rugby should be, from the players, to the training and to the coaches. There is a real feeling of mutual respect among us, something that is missing towards many female athletes. Whether we win or lose the team has become a family to me.
Thankfully I do believe that women’s rugby has come quite far in the almost 12 years I’ve been playing, but there’s definitely more to be done. But I think with time, attitudes will change and soon, female rugby players will get the appreciation and respect that they deserve.