Robyn O'Connor set for 'pretty intense' time on and off the pitch

The winger's third level exams start just days after Ireland's final match of the Six Nations against Scotland

Robyn O'Connor made her Ireland debut against Italy in April. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Busy times in the life of Robyn O’Connor.

Still only 20, the Wexford Wanderers graduate debuted for Ireland against Italy at the Dexcom Stadium last month. Now she is poised to make her third straight start as Scott Bemand’s side takes on Wales in Belfast.

Plenty to be getting on with there, but the demands on her time extend to first year exams at Technological University Dublin (TUD) that start next week just days before the Six Nations ends at home to the Scots.

“It's going to be pretty intense.” O’Connor says it with a smile. If there is pressure on her on or off the pitch then the Business Management student and immensely promising wing does a good impression of someone taking it all in their stride.

The college has done its bit. Though based in Aungier Street, TUD has allowed her to work around the rugby commitments and given permission to sit her exams in the Blanchardstown campus next to Abbotstown.

Left out of the squad for the tournament opener against England in Twickenham, she was handed that debut against the Italians in Galway and duly marked the occasion by scoring her first international try.

That’s been the obvious highlight so far.

“I feel like it was just such a mix of emotions, like, pride. When we were singing the anthem, I started to tear up and I was like, ‘this is what I've been dreaming of for so long’. And then afterwards when I got to go see my family… 

“Even afterwards, when we do a lap and you see all the fans and everyone's asking you to sign things here and there, I guess you feel really, really important and it's just such an experience.” 

O’Connor is one of four players to be given their Test debuts by head coach Bemand in this campaign, and the fact she has retained her place yet again speaks volumes given the competition for places along the tramlines.

It is Amee Leigh Costigan’s pregnancy that has opened the door. Vicky Elmes Kinlan was given first dibs in London, and Anna McGann has made two appearances off the bench. Others are making cases further down the pyramid.

Robyn O'Connor during a press conference at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Dublin. Photo by Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Alana McInerney is another player to watch out for in the wide channels and there is the likes of Katie Corrigan and Chisom Ugwueru furthering their own education with the Ireland U21s as well. Standing still here will only see you fall behind.

O’Connor’s potential has long been flagged. She was originally called in to the XVs setup back in 2024 and the current audition comes on the back of eight tries in four league games for Old Belvedere and six in five Celtic League ties for the Wolfhounds.

The roots are strong too.

Her dad James is a coach and founder of the youths section at Wexford Wanderers, her brother Josh played for Ireland U20s and spent three years with the Connacht academy, and Wanderers had already produced Gordon D’Darcy, Brian Deeney and Katie Fitzhenry.

She is being blended in with an Ireland team that, after years of too much chopping and changing, is building an experienced core. The rest of the backline is beginning to hoard caps while the most inexperienced of the forwards is actually the captain Erin King.

O’Connor, who possesses a wicked sidestep, pace and a background with time spent playing sevens and at full-back in XVs, is in the perfect position to avail of all that, with Stacey Flood just one of the many voices she has around her.

“Stacey's been a really big role model for me. Her communication both on and off the field has been so crucial to me. She's always in my ear, chatting to me in attack and defence, and it just builds that bit of confidence in me to go and back myself. So, yeah, it's been great.” 

Wales make the journey with what head coach Sean Lynn has labelled a “new-look” squad and hoping to end a run of seven straight Championship losses having claimed a try-scoring bonus point in a nonetheless heavy loss last day to England.

For Ireland, it’s 2020 since they last won three home games. A win is a must here. For O’Connor, it’s a case of stockpiling as much information as possible right now for those exams while keeping things far more simple on the park.

“A big thing for me, [the coaches have] told me to back yourself because they have that belief in me and I need to back myself as much as they back me. That was just a big thing for me. Be confident in yourself, you're here for a reason. Don't doubt yourself and all that.”