In the second installment of our Athlete interviews, the Federation caught up with the Ireland Woman’s Rugby Captain Fiona Coghlan. With Ireland’s opening World Cup match in Paris just around the corner, Fiona talked prized possessions, sporting heroes and holiday destinations!
Q1. What is a typical training week like for you when you are with Ireland?
So the Saturday and Sunday we’d do 4 sessions, an hour and a half each. Monday is a recovery day so nothing too hectic. Tuesday is a double up so we’ve weights and in the evening conditioning and skills. Wednesday is individuals….. So for someone like me it might be speed, because I’m not the quickest!! Thursday again is a double up – so it’s weights in the morning and then either conditioning or speed in the evening. Then Friday is a rest day, so it’s intense enough…. (smile)
Q2. What are your three most prized possessions?
Prized possessions…… Em, my hair drier! My gumshield and probably my phone. (And what phone is that?) It’s an iphone. It’s not even a high tech one, I don’t even know how to use half the stuff on it.
Q3. What’s your favourite film?
Hmm….Like Shawshank Redemptions a classic, but I love dirty dancing!
Q4. Do you have a sporting hero?
When I was younger I always wanted to be Stefanie Graf you know, but that’s kinda changed with things going on like. Brian O’Driscoll is amazing but when I was growing up it was Stefanie Graf yeah.
Stefanie Graf has always been a sporting hero of Fiona’s
Q5. You can invite three people to dinner – who would they be and why?
Hmm this always changes (big smile) em Nelson Mandela because I just think he’s amazing. Em I’d love to meet Richie McCaw just to you know get into his mind as a leader and em the last one, I dunno probably some comedian just to keep it funny. Actually maybe one of the girls on the squad just for balance…. Yeah one of the girls on the squad for a bit of a laugh yeah.
McCaw, pictured talking to referee Jaco Peyper, is widely regarded as one of the best captains
Q6. Do you have a favourite restaurant?
Favourite restaurant em that changes as well but probably Matt the Thresher…. Fish restaurant it’s really good!
Q7. Are you into any TV series?
Just cos I’ve been off (Fiona is a teacher) I watched House of Cards, it was really good so I’m looking for the new episode and I’ll probably look for something else when we’re away at the World Cup, there will be a bit of down time. I dunno everyone is throwing different ideas so we’ll see – Suits maybe or something like that.
Q8. What’s the silliest thing you’ve ever bought?
Oh Jesus…. (very big smile and laugh) Probably a pair of fake leather trousers like a moment from Ross from Friends when he took them off and he tried to put them back on. Probably a pair of those they were horrific and I was out for a night and yeah they were the worst thing I’ve ever bought!
Q9. Where would you like to go on holidays – but you can’t have been there before?
Ohhh eh South America somewhere. Em yeah probably do all of South America if I could like the Inca Trail and Rio and everything like that yeah.
Peru’s Inca Trail………..
Q10. Do you have any phobias?
Em no I don’t like a lot of things like spiders and heights but if someone challenged me to do something I’d overcome it so I don’t have phobias as such. Like I wouldn’t be fond of heights like I wouldn’t find this desire to go jumping but if someone challenged me I’d do it!
Quick Fire Round
Twitter or Facebook
Twitter!
Movie or TV
TV
Chinese or Indian
Indian
Text or Whatsapp
Text
Coke or Pepsi
Coke
Music Festival or Comedy Gig
Music Festival
Dog or Cat
Dog
Burger or Hot Dog
Burger
The Federation want to wish Fiona and the rest of the Ireland team the best of luck in the Woman’s Rugby World Cup.
Ireland’s pool matches will be shown live on TG4.
In the pool stages, Ireland take on:
USA – Friday 1st August KO 4 p.m. (Irish time)
New Zealand – Tuesday 5th August KO 5 p.m. (Irish time)
Kazakhstan – Saturday 9th August KO 12 p.m. (Irish time)