Ballinasloe’s investment in female rugby reaps reward for Ireland
It’s clear that coaches in Ballinasloe are doing something right when it comes to inspiring girls to play rugby.
Because there are no fewer than three women who played underage for Ballinasloe Rugby Football Club currently in the training camp for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup being held in England, with Ireland kicking off their campaign in the group stages against Japan on August 24.
Beibhinn Parsons, Aoibheann Reilly and Méabh Deely all grew up playing Gaelic football in different clubs and switched to rugby when the club set up a mini girls side in 2013.
Just five years later, ten Ballinasloe players were in the matchday squad when Connacht claimed their first ever IRFU U-18 Women's Interprovincial title.
The three – who all play professionally for Blackrock RFC – are expected to be named on the 32-strong Irish squad for the Women’s Rugby World Cup…the first time they have qualified for the competition in eight years.
Spirits are high in the camp with hopes among rugby fans even higher – Ireland is currently ranked fifth in the world. Their other Pool C games are against Spain and New Zealand, who the Irish beat last September.
England are currently the tournament favourites, particularly given home advantage.
Beibhinn made history by becoming the youngest Irish senior international player in history, male or female, when she made her international debut in 2018 aged 16 in Ireland’s test match against USA at Donnybrook.
Aoibheann was named in the starting 15 for Ireland in March 2022 in the Women's Six Nations Championship test match against Wales and was named as part of the Ireland sevens team for the Rugby Sevens World Cup held in Cape Town, South Africa, that September.
Méabh made her international debut at full-back in the first summer Test against Japan in Fukuroi City in August 2022, scoring a try in her debut game. She got called up only a week before the tournament began to replace an injured player.
The Geoscience graduate also represented Ireland at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Caption: Flashback…Bebhinn Parsons collects her Ireland Women’s Sevens jersey ahead of the Paris Olympics, with her proud parents Evelyn and Vincent.
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