Connacht Rugby president Ann Heneghan: 'There’s no reason why a woman couldn’t have done it before now'

Ann Heneghan has Connacht Rugby in her blood — from her days as founding chair of the supporters club to her new role as president

New Connacht Rugby president Ann Heneghan at the Sportsground in Galway. she is Ireland’s first female provincial-level president. Picture: Ray Ryan

When Ann Heneghan became Irish rugby’s first female provincial-level president last week at Connacht’s Annual General Meeting, it was another trailblazer in the sport who underlined the importance of the Galway solicitor’s appointment.

IRFU referee Joy Neville this week broke some new ground of her own when she was named as the first female Television Match Official in a major international men’s competition, having been handed TMO duties for this November’s Autumn Nations Cup matches between Wales and Georgia, and Scotland against Fiji.