‘Whatever way it’s going, it’s going in the right direction’: Stacey Flood on the rise of Irish women’s rugby

“Imagine if you had the top two provinces getting the chance to play the top two from France, England and more. Imagine what that could do for women’s rugby all over the world, let alone just Ireland. It would be a huge thing to push on with and hopefully one day, it does happen.”

The quote from Stacey Flood is taken from a chat we had back in February 2022. I was talking about the possibility of putting together a Women’s Champions Cup when the Ireland full-back cut in, “You took the idea straight from my head!”

Flood turned 30 during the summer and has been a senior Ireland international for the past 11 years – she made her Ireland sevens debut in Kazan in 2015. She is one of the most consistent performers and familiar faces in Irish women’s rugby, yet had to wait until she was 30 before her full Leinster debut arrived.

Had she ever been tempted to give club rugby in England or France a go, multiple sides would have offered deals, but Flood is a “home bird” and always held out hope Irish teams would find meaningful competitions to play in. Her Leinster debut, in the Irish Interprovincial Championship, arrived 10 days after she waved goodbye to her 20s. She marked the occasion with a try in a 36-21 victory. Other recent Leinster debutants include Eve Higgins, Nikki Gibson, Niamh Murphy and Ireland captain, Erin King.

“It’s definitely great that we’re finally there,” Flood said at an event promoting Ireland’s 2026/27 Canterbury kit.

“Obviously, we had other things going on the last few years with sevens, the Olympics, the World Cup, so we never actually had that opportunity [with Leinster], but I think it’s better late than never. It was really nice to put on the blue jersey. I know we didn’t get the title in the end, but we learned so much from that campaign and really grew as individuals as well.”

Flood lined out for Dublin in an All-Ireland Minor Football Final as a teenager, and first caught the eye of rugby coaches in Sevens. She competed in the World Rugby Sevens Series for a number of years, before being drafted into the 15s set-up. She made her Test debut for Ireland in 2021, starting off as a fly-half before making her name at full-back.

In 2024, she reverted to Sevens and represented her country at the Paris Olympics. Returning to 15s later that year, she was starting full-back for Ireland’s WXV 1 win over New Zealand. Further sporting dreams were realised at the Women’s Rugby World Cup last year, before playing in front of record crowds at Twickenham, Dexcom Stadium and Aviva Stadium.

Asked where she sees women’s rugby heading in the next five to 10 years, Flood replied, “Whatever way it’s going, now it’s going in the right direction. You’re starting to see that snowball effect, especially after the World Cup last year. We’re so lucky that it was so close to home, and it’s just building now and we’re seeing the crowds.

“We’re filling some of the Aviva up and hopefully we get that full. I’m pretty sure we will in the next few years, which is so exciting. There’s a Lions tour upcoming. There’s so much coming through for women’s sport and women’s rugby and if we just keep going on the trajectory we are, it’ll be so exciting.”

Ahead of that record-breaking Guinness Women’s Six Nations game against Scotland back in May, members of Ireland’s first ever women’s team from 1993 were invited to camp for a jersey presentation ceremony.

“That was such a special time for our squad,” said Flood.

“They were the trailblazers, and we didn’t even know who they were at the time. One of them was actually my P.E teacher, the captain Aoife Rodgers. That was a shock to me because she didn’t tell me she played rugby until I left school.

“I was playing rugby in school and didn’t know that she was literally the first Irish women’s captain. She wore 15, and played full-back, so it was Aoife that got present my jersey to me. That was a crazy moment.

“It is just crazy to think back about all they went through, all they had to do for us – and for everyone who has played since – to be where we are now. We are just a part of that journey. The jersey is never somebody’s, it’s always moving and if you leave it in a greater place than you found it, well then you’ve done your part of the journey and you’ve done your part for Irish women’s rugby.

“Hopefully it just keeps pushing on, and growing and growing. I’d be honoured to give anyone an Irish jersey one day, but I’ll hold on to it for now. Hopefully I can stay, and stay, in it.”

Flood started the WXV Gl0bal Series window in flying form as she set up Vicky Elmes Kinlan for Ireland’s opening try against USA at Tallaght Stadium last weekend. Ireland led the Americans 31-12, after 46 minutes, when King crashed over to score. They faltered badly over the next 25 minutes, though, and ultimately lost 40-36.

“Every time we have issued a challenge to our players they’ve responded,” Ireland head coach Scott Bemand commented.

“We need to get 80-minute performances, having a good 40 minutes isn’t what we’re about. It’s two more opportunities to show what we can play like.”

Those opportunities are home games against Japan, one of which forms part of WXV Global Series. That game is coming up this Sunday in Galway before an out-of-window encounter in Cork on Saturday 3 October.

“We love travelling, we love the getting the crowd going with us,” said Flood.

“It’s exciting to be playing at Dexcom and Musgrave Park again. After that, getting down to Cape Town is going to be such an experience for the squad, and will be really cool. I’ve been there with the Sevens and I love it. I’ll hopefully get that opportunity to travel but we’ll just take one game at a time.”