Fiona Coghlan

Fiona Coghlan (born March 3, 1981) is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Coghlan represented Ireland at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Women's Rugby World Cups. She also captained the Ireland team that won the 2013 Women's Six Nations Championship. In 2013 Coghlan was named The Irish Times / Irish Sports Council Sportswoman of the Year after captaining Ireland to their first ever Six Nations, Grand Slam and Triple Crown titles. Coghlan was a member of the first Ireland teams to defeat France, England and New Zealand. She was the Ireland captain on the latter two occasions. In addition to captaining Ireland, Coghlan also captained her club team, UL Bohemians, her provincial team, Leinster and was captain of the first ever Barbarians women's team.

Fiona Coghlan
Birth nameFiona Coghlan
Date of birth (1981-03-03) March 3, 1981
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight77 kg (170 lb; 12 st 2 lb)
UniversityUniversity of Limerick
Occupation(s)Teacher & TV Commentator & Analyst
Rugby union career
Position(s) Front Row/Prop
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2001–04
2001–
2017–		 UL Ladies
UL Bohemians
Barbarians		 ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2002– Leinster ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2003–2014  Ireland 85

Early years and education

Coghlan is originally from Clontarf, Dublin. Her family supported Clontarf F.C. and attended Ireland rugby union international games. In her youth she was actively involved in various sports including tennis and horse riding. She attended Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf, where she played basketball and hockey, winning numerous school medals. In 2001 she began attending the University of Limerick where she completed a Bsc in Physical education and Maths teaching.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

Rugby union

UL Bohemians

Coghlan began playing women's rugby union while she was a student at the University of Limerick. She played for the UL Ladies team at intervarsity level, winning four cup and league titles. She also played for UL Bohemians at national level, winning eleven All Ireland Division One titles.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][9]

Leinster

Coghlan represented Leinster in the IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series. She had originally trained with Munster before making her Leinster debut in August 2002. She subsequently helped Leinster win three titles in 2005, 2011 and 2013. Coghlan captained Leinster when they won the 2011 title.[1][2][3][9][10][11]

Barbarians

On 10 November 2017 Coghlan captained the Barbarians against Munster in the invitational team's first women's match which was held in Thomond Park. The Barbarians won 19–0.[12][13][14][15]

Ireland international

Coghlan was included in the Ireland training squad for the 2002 Women's Rugby World Cup[16] before she made her Six Nations debut for Ireland on 2 February 2003 against Spain. Coghlan subsequently represented Ireland at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 Women's Rugby World Cups. In 2008 she was first named Ireland captain, taking over the role permanently in 2010. During the 2009 Women's Six Nations Championship, she was a member first Ireland team to defeat France. Coghlan captained the Ireland team that won the 2013 Women's Six Nations Championship. In 2013 Ireland also achieved both a Triple Crown and Grand Slam.[1][17][3][9][18][19][20]

In 2013 Coghlan was named The Irish Times/ Irish Sports Council Sportswoman of the Year after captaining Ireland to their first ever Six Nations, Grand Slam and Triple Crown titles.[4][21][22][23]

Coghlan was also captain when Ireland defeated both England and New Zealand for the first time. On 9 February 2013 Ireland defeated England for the first time while on their way to winning the 2013 Women's Six Nations Championship.[24] On 5 August 2014 Ireland defeated New Zealand for the first time during a 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup pool stage game.[25][26][27] Coghlan subsequently retired as an Ireland international after captaining Ireland to fourth place in the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup.[28][29][30]

In 2019, she was on the first panel to determine the World Rugby women's-15s player-of-the-year award with Melodie Robinson, Danielle Waterman, Will Greenwood, Liza Burgess, Lynne Cantwell, Gaëlle Mignot, Jillion Potter, Stephen Jones, and Karl Te Nana.[31] She was also on the voting panel for the World Rugby Men's 15 Player of the Year award.[32]

Gaelic football

Since 1997 Coghlan has intermittently played Ladies' Gaelic football for Clontarf GAA, playing as a full forward. She won an Intermediate All-Ireland medal in Club competition with Clontarf in 2018[5][33][34]

Teacher

Coghlan has worked as a P.E. and Mathematics teacher at Lucan Community College.[1][5][6][35][36]

Honours

Rugby union
Ireland
Leinster
UL Bohemians
  • All Ireland Division One
    • Winners: : 11
UL Ladies
  • Inter-Varsity League
    • Winners: : ?
  • Inter-Varsity Cup
    • Winners: : ?
Individual

Source:[3][4][21][22][23]

References
  1. "Fiona Coughlan". www.irishrugby.ie. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  2. "Introducing Fiona Coughlan". www.leinsterrugby.ie. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  3. "Women In Sport: Ireland's Most Successful Rugby Captain: Fiona Coghlan". www.her.ie. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  4. "Sports Woman of the Year Fiona Coghlan". www.newsfour.ie. 21 February 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  5. "This much I know: Fiona Coghlan, Women's Rugby World Cup ambassador". www.irishexaminer.com. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  6. "The Weekly Read: Former Irish rugby international Fiona Coghlan on sport in college life". www.independent.ie. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  7. "Interview: Former UL Student Fiona Coughlan May Have Retired From Her Rugby Career But Is Still Far From Relaxing". www.anfocal.ie. 27 March 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  8. "In Pics: IWRFU Golf Day". www.irishrugby.ie. 28 August 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  9. "Interview with Fiona Coughlan: Captain of the triple crown winning Irish rugby team". www.sportsnewsireland.com. 4 March 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  10. "Exciting Start To Women's Interpros". www.irishrugby.ie. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  11. "Leinster ladies win first Interpro crown". www.irishexaminer.com. 26 November 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  12. "Former Ireland captain Coghlan to lead Barbarians in historic clash with Munster". www.the42.ie. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  13. "Fiona Coghlan: Our new team will play the Barbarians way!". www.barbarianfc.co.uk. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  14. "Barbarians women's team shine on debut in Limerick". www.irishtimes.com. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  15. "Memorable first win for Baa-Baas". www.independent.ie. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  16. "In Focus: Fiona Coghlan". www.irishrugby.ie. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  17. "Women Secure First Ever Victory Over France". www.irishrugby.ie. 6 February 2009. Archived from the original on 29 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  18. "Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan relishing Grand Slam title defence". www.rte.ie. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  19. "Coghlan targets top-four finish". www.irishexaminer.com. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  20. "Grand Slam Glory For Ireland Women". www.irishrugby.ie. 17 March 2013. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  21. "Fiona Coghlan named Sportswoman of the Year". www.irishtimes.com. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  22. "Coghlan Is Irish Times Sportswoman Of The Year". www.irishrugby.ie. 20 December 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  23. "Fiona Coghlan says sportswomen still not getting enough respect". www.irishtimes.com. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  24. "Miller hat-trick hands Ireland historic win over England". www.sixnationsrugby.com. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  25. "Black Ferns lose historic match to Ireland". www.allblacks.com. 6 August 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  26. "Women's Rugby World Cup 2014: Ireland stun four-time champions New Zealand". www.telegraph.co.uk. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  27. "Irish women's rugby team record historic win over New Zealand". www.independent.ie. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  28. "Fiona Coghlan retires as Ireland finish fourth at World Cup". www.irishtimes.com. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  29. "Ireland captain Coghlan retires on losing note but with immense pride". www.the42.ie. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  30. "Ireland Women's side capture first ever Triple Crown after Scottish win". www.the42.ie. 23 February 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  31. worldrugby.org. "Stars join new-look World Rugby Awards panels". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  32. worldrugby.org. "World Rugby Awards Voting Panel". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  33. "Iúil/July 2015 - Fiche Ceisteanna with Fiona Coghlan". www.clontarfgaa.com. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  34. "Match Report: St Maurs v Clontarf". dublinladiesgaelic.ie. 2 September 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  35. "Giving up sport is 'biggest mistake students in exam year can make'". www.independent.ie. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 25 July 2018.
  36. "Lucan Community College". lucancc.ie. Retrieved 25 February 2018.
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