Captain Ciara: Leaving rugby behind for all the right reasons
You’ll never hear a bad word said about Ciara Griffin. The recently retired Ireland captain wears her heart on her sleeve, with her natural persistence and resilience meaning that whatever she sets her sights on, she usually achieves and then some.
To demonstrate this, let’s take a quick tour of the 27-year-old’s pursuits so far.
She’s a multiple All Ireland champion in handball, is a full-time teacher, runs a personal training business, dabbles in farming on her family and in-laws’ farms on weekends, has coached the Munster Under 18s Girls squad, was made Ireland captain at the tender age of 24 and almost singlehandedly saw Ireland to their most recent victory against Japan in her final performance in green- can you tell I’m a fan?
The back row player, originally from Gaelic football obsessed County Kerry, signed off her rugby career last weekend taking to the pitch for the Barbarians when the women’s game took centre stage at Twickenham, which it’s fair to say, she was fairly excited about.
“I grew up watching the Barbarians men’s team and in 2017 I was part of the Munster side which played the Baa Baa Women for the first time, so it was really cool being on the other side and playing with them,” said Griffin.
“It was a pinch yourself moment, playing alongside some absolute heroes and idols of the game- sometimes I think is this actually happening?”
Ciara Griffin with the solo at Twickenham. pic.twitter.com/FsGg0cEuLb
— Murray Kinsella (@Murray_Kinsella) November 29, 2021
It has to be said when Griffin, known as ‘Junior’ to her teammates, announced her retirement last month whilst at the top of her game with, you would guess, years of international rugby left in her legs, it came as quite a shock to the rugby community.
But when you peel deeper and become aware of the personal circumstances as well as the sacrifices and commitment it takes to play at the highest level in the women’s game, balancing a full-time job with training and gym, driving insane distances, whilst keeping everything else in your life ticking over, you start to understand the toll it can take on the body and mind.
“Not qualifying for the World Cup back in September, it was a difficult time for us with what happened in Parma and gave me time when I got home to think and reflect.
“I started thinking about on my own journey and my family and came to the realisation that it might be the right time for me to step aside. We’re now heading into another four-year cycle and it’s an opportunity for younger players to get that experience and hopefully qualify for the next World Cup.
“I think it’s best to give the younger players that exposure and that’s part of my reason, but I’ll also have been married a year at Christmas and it’s time to put my family and my extended family first and focus on my own career outside of rugby.
“I work full time as a primary school teacher and do a bit of farming as well and have my own personal training business and my husband has been so supportive of me all along but it’s time to focus on other things, but I’ve loved every minute in that green shirt playing rugby.”
Griffin highlights a recent moment as one of the most meaningful in the emerald jersey.
“Our win against USA this November was massive for us. As you know there was a lot of negative stuff leading up to that match but it just showed how we came together as a tight unit and got that result. My other standout memory is my first start for Ireland in 2016. I got it against England at Twickenham- that was a massive moment for me as I always saw Twickenham stadium on the TV growing up and I never thought I’d be running out there and then captaining the side later down the line.
“Rugby is like a second family because you spend so much time together and I received lots of lovely messages when I retired and something to hang on my wall as a little memento which I can’t wait to show to my kids one day.”
As Griffin calls time on the rugby element of her life, is there anywhere she would love to see the women’s game in her country go?
“Everyone eventually wants to be a professional player, but at the start we need to put in the right grass roots and build it from the ground up. That’s so important and what works so well in England in terms of the Premiership and developing the club structure and the feeder systems. I’d love to see it developed more for us in Ireland in terms of the pathways from underage right into your provincial teams and then into the national programme.
“My Dad was involved with the local club, Castleisland RFC and I was pestering and badgering him for years to set up a girls’ team and eventually we got a team set up for under 14s and then under 16s. I then continued playing at college in Limerick and now realise I was so lucky to start at such a young age with a team and get that exposure.
“That definitely helped in terms of my development, and I really hope that happens for young girls now. Girls are starting younger and we need to keep them playing. You see with women’s sport there is a drop off with girls aged 13 and 14 years and I really hope the development structures can capture them and keep them playing!
“If a young girl is struggling to find a team, keep asking and asking and eventually you will get there.”
When speaking to Griffin, you get the impression that she never stands still, which is proved right when she explains what is next in her career- pursuing her other passion of farming.
“I’m hoping to go back to college to do a part time course in agriculture at the weekends for a year and a half and get my Green Cert.
“I also want to just enjoy time at home with my family and get into a bit of running which is a bit easier on the body but I’m always keen to challenge myself!”
An inspiration she has been throughout her playing days and an inspiration she continues to be. There is no doubt Griffin’s absence will be a loss for Ireland but you know she’ll be an asset to whatever she turns her hand to next.
Comments on RugbyPass
I bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments