Three of our Leopards Ladies featured in international competition over the weekend.
Storm Cobain, Mairead Quinn and Mollie Young all played for Ireland Rugby League in their World Cup Qualifier win against The Netherlands at Energia Park in Dublin.
Ireland won the match 16-12, with Leopards number sixteen, Storm Cobain scoring twelve of the points. With two tries and two conversions, shecearned herself the player of the match award. The other points for Ireland came from a try by Huddersfield Giants’ Megan Preston.
Cobain spoke of her pride at representing her county. She said: “Obviously it means a lot, it’s something that I dreamed of when I first started playing rugby.
“To be able to pull that green jersey on is a little indescribable but it’s an absolute honour. To have family and friends be there to support me as well; it almost feels like a dream!”
On being selected as the Player of the Match she added, “Wasn’t expecting it at all. We lost as a team a couple of weeks ago in Wales, and won as a team yesterday in Dublin! I was playing in an unfamiliar position so it means a lot that the coaches and the girls thought that much of my performance to present me with the award.”
Mollie Young who also started the game, spoke of her pride at getting the call up after a long term injury; “I was really happy to pull on the green jersey again, buzzing we were able to come away with the win also.
“Been a big year for me so far coming back from a long injury so feels great to be involved in the squad and to be able to help the team build towards a World Cup. Really good to get to do it all with Quinny and Storm and with all the support from family, friends and everyone at Leigh too; looking forward to the next!”
Leigh Leopards Women’s captain, Mairead Quinn was proud to feature alongside two of her fellow Leopards. She said of the game: “‘It’s great to have the honour to represent your country, and to do it alongside two of my Leopards team mates is amazing.
“The support from family and friends has been great! It was good to bounce back as a team from a tough defeat against wales a couple of weeks ago.”
Ireland await the outcome of the final group game, Netherlands against Wales to see if they will be in the play-off fixture against Greece for a place in the World Cup, (date to be confirmed). All three Women return to Leigh now to prepare for their game away, against Bradford Bulls on 2nd June at 5:15.
Pictures courtesy of Susan Maxwel
