FERMANAGH’S Claire Boles has been named among an elite group of 37 players to be awarded a central contract by the Irish Rugby Football Union.
Last week’s announcement, made as part of the IRFU’s strategy to bolster the Women’s High-Performance Programme, is a proud moment for the Enniskillen native.
Boles, who has been a consistent performer for both the Ireland Women’s XVs and Sevens squads, could again be involved in both codes as the teams prepare for a packed 2024-25 season.
The upcoming season is crucial for the Ireland Women’s XVs, who will return to action on home soil at the Kingspan Stadium on September 14th, where they will face Australia in a much-anticipated match as part of Irish Rugby’s 150th-year celebrations.
Following this, Boles and her teammates will travel to Vancouver for the WXV1 campaign in the autumn, before turning their focus to the Women’s Six Nations and the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England next year.
In addition to her XVs duties, Boles may also be seen on the Sevens circuit.
The Ireland Women’s Sevens squad, fresh from their historic debut at the Paris Olympics, will resume training in mid-September as they prepare for the HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai this November.
The Sevens programme continues to be a growing part of Irish rugby, and Boles’ versatility across both formats will be an asset as the team looks to build on their Olympic momentum.
Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways, Gillian McDarby, emphasised the importance of this period for Irish women’s rugby.
“It is an important year ahead for the Women’s programme, with our XVs squad building towards our return to the Women’s Rugby World Cup stage, and our Sevens squad bidding to build on the positive momentum from their appearance at the recent Paris Olympics,” McDarby said.
Boles’ contract is part of a broader strategy by the IRFU to develop depth in their player pool, ensuring that both the XVs and Sevens squads are equipped to compete at the highest levels.
With her central contract, Claire Boles is not only representing Fermanagh on the international stage but also inspiring the next generation of players from the county who dream of donning the green jersey.
One of those is Enniskillen Rugby Club’s Sophie Barrett, who has also been selected for the 35-player WXV1 squad heading to Vancouver, marking her first senior international call-up after excelling with the Ireland U20s.
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