Erin King in Conversation During Women in Sport Week 2026

A missed World Cup can break a career or build a new one. Erin King chose the second path. We sit down with Ireland’s captain to unpack the shock of injury, the slow work of rehab, and the mindset shift that turned heartbreak into hunger ahead of a landmark Six Nations. From that first uneasy scan to the first whistle back, Erin shows how perspective reshapes performance—and how gratitude can harden into game-winning edge.

We dig into Ireland’s resurgence and what’s changed beneath the highlights: smarter coaching, real investment from the IRFU, and youth pathways that finally give girls a clear route to the green jersey. Visibility is rising too, and it matters. The team’s first standalone at the Aviva Stadium against Scotland is more than a fixture; it’s proof that women’s rugby belongs on the biggest stages with the biggest crowds. We talk tactics and temperament—quick rucks, brave width, disciplined defence—and why big venues amplify belief as much as noise.

There’s unfinished business off the field. Erin calls out the coverage gap and backs the “same energy” push, arguing that equal effort and equal results deserve equal attention. Progress is real—more media slots, fuller stands, smarter storytelling—but the job isn’t done. We connect the dots between performance, promotion, and participation, showing how each win can spark the next generation to join a club, pick up a ball, and see themselves in this team. If you care about Irish rugby’s future, women’s sport, or how resilience becomes culture, this conversation is for you.

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Transcript

Welcome And Context

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Being here and putting our little nation on the map, it's just you know this is a stuff of of dreams for the two people Hello and welcome to the Sports for Business Podcast.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

I'm your host, Rob Hartnett, and in this Women in Sport Week, this Tuesday, March the 3rd, we have been sitting down with the Irish women's rugby captain Aaron King. She missed the last World Cup through injury, but she's back. She's ready, rearing to go for Ireland's Guinness Women's Six Nations tournament, which will be kicking off in a couple of weeks' time. And um please, I hope you enjoy the chat that we had with Aaron.

SPEAKER_02 1:05

Welcome to Sporting Business, Erin. Uh, and welcome back into the into the rugby fold. We missed you from the World Cup over in England last year. Fabulous occasion. What was it like for you not being able to participate?

SPEAKER_04 1:18

Yeah, obviously, initially it was heartbreaking when I realized I wouldn't be part of that World Cup. Um it's all I it's what I had my eyes set on um since I was a young girl. All I wanted to do is play in a in a World Cup. It's the pinnacle of the rugby 15s. But um yeah, I had to get over it pretty quick, I guess, and focus on what was next for me. And um that was getting back and getting back to full fitness and even the possibility of getting back because I was a bit unsure at the start if I would make it back from the injury. Um, but yeah, it was kind of great at the same time that I got to experience watching my sport in a different light, and I got a whole new perspective on how grateful I am to be in the position I am in and to wear the green jersey um as many times as I have already at the age I'm at. And yeah, um got to got to see the the excitement over here in Ireland while the girls are away of the women in sport and um the the excitement about women's rugby because you know, a few years ago we would have never had that much talk or that much attention on us, and you know, we didn't even go to the Lance World Cup um prior. So we've come on leaps and bounds, and so many young girls are telling me they they picked up a rugby ball for the first time because they've seen a TikTok that one of the girls made, or you know, seen the the match against um France or all these different examples, which is the reason we do it. So yeah, it was nice to watch it in a in a different light. And I I obviously would have rather been there and oh make sure given the opportunity, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 2:55

Because that would have been that would have been one of the central points of like you're competing in with the Salems at the Olympics, coming through, making your Six Nations debut and everything like that. Like it was the the career trajectory was absolutely flying, and now you've got to pick that up again.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

Yeah.

Diagnosis, Denial, And Rehab

SPEAKER_02 3:13

What was it? What was it like? Can you remember at the time of the injuries? Can you remember what you felt at the time as though this is actually pretty serious?

SPEAKER_04 3:23

Yeah, um, yeah, leaning into that injury, I I was like having so many pinch me moments, you know, it was just non-stop, and I was like, this is almost too good to be true. Um, and yeah, no, when I realized I I got it through at the start of the England game last year in the Six Nations, and I ended up playing the full game, so I didn't really realize the extent of it initially, and then got a scan, and it was a phone poll that I got from my doctor, and he kind of told me the extent of it and the reality of it. And I think at first I was a bit in denial, and I just think, no, no, I'll I'll be at that World Cup. There's there's no way I'm I'm missing that. And then when I really realized that I wasn't gonna be at it, I was yeah, absolutely heartbroken. It was it was a dream of mine, and I knew how special the team was that we had and how good we were, which which was even worse for me. Um, because I knew we could do something special at the World Cup. And yeah, it's probably one of the toughest things I've I've had to do. And you know, sit at home while the girls were at the World Cup was really, really hard, especially while I was trying to rehab. And then, you know, my knee was a really complicated injury at the same time, and they didn't know if I'd make it back. So dealing with that at this at the same time when rugby is my identity and it's all I've ever wanted to do, and it's it's what brings me so much joy to get it taken away from you, you know, in an instant is is scary, and um it really hit home. But now I like appreciate everything so much, and I also know rugby isn't everything now, and there's more to life, which I think is great to have that balance. But yeah, I'm just so grateful every time I get to train, play, whatever it is, just um yeah, have this new appreciation.

Perspective And Gratitude Gained

Ireland’s Resurgence And Momentum

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Cool. You were part of that resurgence of the team actually coming from a you know a bit of a low point, coming through and scaling heights that really didn't look possible a mere 18 months or two years beforehand. Now you're backed. Now we can pick it all up again. So that there was, you know, there was a successful Six Nations last year, there was a successful World Cup without going the whole way, but you know, that's never been the case with an Irish movie team anyway. So um, but now back in for the Six Nations, and you're going to be playing a standalone in the Aviva Stadium as well against Scotland this time around. How much of an impact does that have on the team that you know that you're focused on the performance side of it, but the bigger picture of this visibility that the World Cup brought, that the Aviva Stadium is going to bring as well, where is the team in its headspace at the moment in terms of your own um hopes and ambitions for the next year?

Visibility, Pathways, And Aviva Milestone

SPEAKER_04 6:06

Yeah, like you said, I mean, um, I think two, three years ago, we'd never thought we'd be in the position we're in at the moment, like we're competing with the best in the world. And obviously, you know, we bet the black fruit of that in that in Vancouver and all that. And yeah, the chic archery has been amazing, and the RFU have been great with the investments and the coaching stuff, and that's what we need to be at the level that we we want to be at. Um, so with that continued support, I think you know the world really is our oyster, and there's so many young girls coming through the pathways now that are amazing, and they're just pathways that we didn't have before, and it just shows that it's working. Um, and that visibility from the World Cup was brilliant because there's so many young girls now that are starting to play rugby either made, and there's so many clubs and teams that are starting their own women's side and starting their own underage girls' teams, which is a lot more appealing for young girls to join. Like they don't want to join a boys' team, they want their own girls' team and to feel like they belong and have something there. And um, yeah, this Six Nations coming up is gonna be a historical one. I mean, we're our first games in Twickenham and they've sold over 16,000 tickets already, I think. And then, yeah, obviously the the game of the Aviva, our first standalone game of the Aviva, which I think is what we deserve, to be honest. You know, we're gonna put in performances, we're gonna, you know, hopefully get the results that we want. And I don't see why not. You know, I think we can genuinely do as well as we've ever done in the Six Nations, the Six Nations, you know, there's something really special building in the squad that I think people seen glimpses of it at the World Cup, but I think there's even more there that we we're yet to show. And I can't wait to show Ireland and show the world like what we can do and um hopefully put in some performances and get a good crowd with the Aviva there.

Same Energy And Media Coverage Gap

SPEAKER_02 7:58

For sure. And having yourself an EFA with a hat full of personal awards that you've both garnered over the over the course of the last 18 months back together again on the same pitch, on the same team, is going to be great. When you see the amount of extensive coverage that is given over to the men's Six Nations at this time of the year, does that make you feel then as though you know that this same level of coverage is going to be coming for the women's, or is it still a source of some frustration? The fact that a, you know, like today, there are fewer of us that are out here at OpenDU, as would be the case were that to be a Jack Crowley or a Sam Prendergast. How how far away do you think are we in terms of the general society, as well as the media, actually realizing that you're putting in exactly the same effort, putting in exactly the same energy, getting exactly the same good results, and that you deserve to get exactly the same level of coverage?

SPEAKER_04 8:55

Yeah, I think you know, there still is some frustration there. Like, obviously, we've come on leaps and bounds, but I don't think we're quite there yet. Um, and this woman in sports week is brilliant because it's showing that we are getting more visibility, it there are more investments, but there still needs to be more. Um and the same energy campaign is all about that. Like we want the same as the men, and we don't quite yet have that. Um, and yeah, like we do put in the same amount of work, and like we we've been getting results, so I think it's what we deserve. And I think it's a great start that we're playing in the stadiums that the men play in because you know, there's a few years ago we weren't even playing in stadiums, we were playing in you know, universities and things like that. So yeah, it's definitely progressing in the right way, but um still a bit of work needs to be done. But yeah, it's it is exciting, and you know, it's on us as well. If we put in performances, I think we should reap the rewards. So if we can put in performances and play entertaining rugby, I don't see why not. I don't see why we don't deserve the same as the then.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

You did right, your t-shirt says same energy. That's exactly what you're putting into us. Get the same reward out of us. Uh, the very best of luck for the coming weeks and the coming years and the rest of your healthy and fit career.

SPEAKER_04 10:14

Thank you so much. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 10:16

If you want to learn more about the work we do in the commercial and societal world of sport in Ireland in 2026, you can do so by visiting us at sportforbusiness.com. We produce daily news bulletins which you can subscribe to for free. And if you wish to subscribe to this podcast, you can do so wherever you get your podcast from. We've got events coming up in Cork looking at the power of sport to drive economic gains and economic benefit, and also at the question of name, image, likeness, and personality, which will be of interest to players, teams, and sponsors across the community as well. Thanks for taking the time to listen to us and we will see you again soon.

SPEAKER_03 11:02

Being here and putting our little nation on the map, it's just you know, this is the stuff of of dreams.