Monaghan back ready to take another step on her remarkable journey

After having to sit out Ireland's opening Six Nations tie against France last weekend Sam Monaghan is back and available for selection for Sunday's clash with Italy at the RDS.

It's a chance for her to regain her place on the team - and take yet another step on what is remarkable personal journey

Co-captain of the Irish team along with Edel McMahon, Monaghan, who has turned 30, had to follow return-to-play protocols after suffering a head injury while on duty with her club Gloucester-Hartbury.

Ireland could do with a morale-boosting victory over the Italians after their 17-38 defeat to France last Sunday although there were plenty of encouraging aspects contained Ireland's performance. Something at least to build on.

Monaghan's rise in the game of rugby to a position this season where she was named joint-captain of the Irish team for the Six Nations campaign has been nothing short of remarkable.

After spending her early years in New York Monaghan moved to Navan with her family. She played for Navan O'Mahonys and won an u-16 All-Ireland with Meath in 2009. She usually turned out in Gaelic football as a goalkeeper or forward before switching to rugby in Brighton where she went to worked. She was noticed by those involved in Irish rugby circles and brought into the international set-up.

She was asked to sign for top-ranking side Richmond. Then Covid arrived to scupper such plans. She thought she had missed the boat. Eventually, however, the big time beckoned again when Wasps asked her to sign for them. She went with the flow.

There was a lot to learn about rugby generally and the lock-forward position specifically, but she did learn. Her schedule involved numerous two-hour train journeys from Brighton to train and turn out for Wasps but all the effort was to prove worthwhile.

Monaghan enjoyed her time with the Wasps but the chance came to join another high-ranking team, Gloucester-Hartpury RFC. She went with that. She gave up her job in Brighton and has moved to Gloucester, close to the Welsh border. She took up the challenge of coaching the Hartpury university team.

She made her Irish debut against Spain in 2021 at 28. Ireland lost that game and a chance to go to the World Cup. It was a defeat that heralded a few very turbulent years in Irish women's rugby but now there at least appears to be a more concerted effort by the IRFU to support the team and have the players ready for international competition.

Monaghan follows in the footsteps of another lock forward from Meath - Marie Louise Reilly - who was part of the Irish team that won a Grand Slam.

Now the Navan woman has 18 Irish caps to her name so far and she was odds on to start against the French until she shipped the injury.

McMahon captained the side from the back row against France while there was one uncapped player named in the starting team. Teenage Leinster winger Katie Corrigan was selected on the wing for her first cap having impressed Irish coach Scott Bemand during the recent Celtic Challenge competition.

Monaghan was somewhat older than Corrigan when she set out as a international rugby player and she'll be anxious to show she has plenty more left in the tank. Now the game against Italy beckons and Monaghan will be looking to regain her place among the Girls in Green and continue her remarkable journey.