Return of the King: Erin rebounds from a career in jeopardy to Ireland captain

The former sevens star was revealed as the new XVs' skipper on Thursday afternoon.

NEW ERA: Erin King has been named Ireland Women's captain ahead of the 2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations. The 22-year-old flanker will lead Ireland into the Championship, which gets underway against England at Twickenham on Saturday, 11 April. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

The surrounds are cold and slightly sterile at the IRFU’s high performance centre in Abbotstown until Erin King enters the small dressing-room set aside for the interview and suddenly there is an energy that could light the entire building.

The back row is still buzzing off the conversation held last week with Scott Bemand when the head coach asked her to be the national side’s new captain at the age of just 22. Having accepted, she will be the youngest in the team’s history.