Béibhínn Parsons: Second shot at Six Nations making up for Leaving Cert cancellation

The 18-year-old scored two showreel tries in two Six Nations games, before stepping aside to prepare for her Leaving Cert

Béibhínn Parsons at the launch of Ireland's new jersey

It’s fair to say Béibhínn Parsons will remember 2020.

Quite how the 18-year-old would describe it? Well, ‘memorable’ would be an understatement.

Now a starting winger for Ireland, she scored two showreel tries in two Six Nations games against Scotland and Wales, before stepping aside to prepare for her Leaving Cert.

She had intended to sacrifice three rugby internationals to focus on her studies, but 2020 being 2020, she had to sacrifice her studies and now has two more Six Nations games to look forward to.

“Yeah, it’s been a roller-coaster to say the least, but everyone’s in the same boat in that regard,” she said.

“It’s been crazy thinking I’d miss out three Six Nations matches and now only missing out one. That’s a huge positive I’m taking.

“The Leaving Cert didn’t run its course but things happen and that’s the new normal.

It was difficult. We had to remain patient. First our orals were postponed, then cancelled. Then our Leaving Cert was postponed, then cancelled. You had to be patient but we were all in the same boat and had to just roll with the punches and you could take that knowing you had unity with your classmates.”

Some students may have been pleased to avoid the anxiety and stress that comes with such exams, but it may not be surprising that the athlete who made her international debut aged 16 is not one of them.

“I absolutely wanted to sit the exams!” she laughed, “I was gutted that I couldn’t have. I feel I’m part of the one per cent that actually wanted to sit them.

“I’d have loved to have wrapped it up, put a bit of closure on it and get a result that you know you’d deserved.”

Béibhínn Parsons escapes the tackle of Manon Johnes of Wales on her way to scoring her side's first try at Energia Park in February. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Now a Biomed student and a recipient of UCD’s Ad Astra scholarship for Elite Athletes, Parsons is adapting to third-level life in the ‘new normal’.

“On-campus activity, I’m keeping to a minimum,” she said. “I’m doing a science subject so there’ll be labs but all the protocols are in place … I’m feeling safe in my college set-up.

“I’m keeping my bubble to an absolute minimum because I don’t want to put myself in jeopardy or any of my team either. I’m staying on campus so I have just three housemates and that’s my social circuit, I’m keeping it that small.”

This weekend, though, she gets to step outside that bubble and into an entirely different world. There may be no fans at Energia Park when Ireland host Italy, but there’s plenty to play for.

“It’s a huge positive among these testing times,” she said. “I’m really excited if I get the opportunity to play. So much has been going on behind the scenes.

“We worked really closely with our Strength & Conditioning coaches through Zoom and phone calls. For girls who didn’t have weights we used body weight exercise. Our S&C didn’t stop at all and lots of us used the time to treat niggles and injuries. Rehab and come back stronger and fitter, it’s actually a positive in that sense.

“I’ve only played internal matches with my AIL club (Blackrock). The competitive edge is still there though, so I’m not worried at all because we’re all competing for jerseys, we’ve hit the ground running and really excited to play Italy.” 

Following the remaining Six Nations games against Italy and France, Adam Griggs’ side have 2021 World Cup qualifiers to contend, although the scheduled December qualifying tournament now has to be rescheduled after Rugby Europe scrapped all fixtures for the remainder of this calendar year.

That may see the qualifying tournament postponed until after next spring’s Six Nations, but it remains a key aim for Parsons.

“You can’t help but dream about something like that, for me that would be the pinnacle,” she said.

“It’s the peak of rugby in my eyes so of course you want to go there but you have to cross a good few bridges before you get there.

“We want three home wins in the Six Nations and that’s our focus...we won’t run before we can walk.”