Four years on from her last Irish cap, Deirbhile Nic A Bháird says she's found her love of rugby again, after taking a 'sos beag' from the game last year.
The Cork woman is back in the Irish squad for the TikTok Women's Six Nations after catching the eye for Munster in their Interpro championship win in January, and will hope to earn her fifth cap when head coach Greg McWilliams names his side to take on Wales (Saturday 2.15pm) tomorrow.
The 27-year-old was first drafted into the squad ahead of the 2017 World Cup as a winger, but by the time she made her debut in the 2019 Six Nations she'd been moved into hooker, playing four times during that campaign.
Either side of those caps for the XV's team she was a regular presence in the Irish Sevens setup, but having taken time away from rugby when she departed the system in 2021, she returned with some formidable performances for Old Belvedere in the All Ireland League, before being one of the stars for Munster in their Interpro success earlier this year.
"It's great to be back," the Ballincollig native says.
"It's something you always miss when you're not in. I thought it might be off the cards for a while, I took a little time off after leaving the Sevens programme, but just missed it so much that I ended up back with Munster and Belvo for the club season.
"I just took a 'sos beag', yeah! I just took a small break after Sevens, it was a rollercoaster, it's a fairly high-octane game, you're on the road a lot, and I had a few things in my life I left behind and had to sort out, but the opportunity to come back into XVs has been unbelievable. There's a rally good buzz in the group, and I've been living for that really.
"I found a love for it again, and I'm delighted that's showing on
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