Claire Boles
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|05|28|df=y}}
| clubs1 = Ulster
| clubs2 = Railway Union
| repsevensteam1 = {{nwrut7|Ireland}}
| repsevensyears1 = 2017-
| reppoints1 = 0
| repcaps1 = 3
| repteam1 = {{nwrut|Ireland}}
| repyears1 = 2019–
| points1 =
| apps1 =
| years1 = 2016
| years2 = 2017
| birth_place = Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh
| amatteam1 = Enniskillen RFC
| amatyears1 =
| position = Back Row
| weight = {{cvt|70|kg|lb stlb}}
| height = {{height|m=1.69}}
| caption = Claire Boles
| image =
| repsevenscomp1 =
}}
Claire Boles (born 28 May 1998) is an Irish rugby player from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh. She plays for Railway Union, Ulster and Ireland. She plays for the Ireland women's national rugby union team and the Ireland women's national rugby sevens team. She is a student based in Dublin.
Club career
Enniskillen native Boles began rugby at her school, Enniskillen Collegiate Grammar, before joining the first girls' team at Enniskillen RFC alongside lifelong friend and Ireland teammate Kathryn Dane.{{Cite news|title=Enniskillen Collegiate beat Victoria to win Girls' Rugby Schools' Cup|language=en-GB|work=belfasttelegraph|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/schools-cup/enniskillen-collegiate-beat-victoria-to-win-girls-rugby-schools-cup-31091335.html|access-date=2021-04-29|issn=0307-1235}}
She was part of the first Ulster team to win Ireland's Under-18 interprovincial title in 2016.{{Cite web|date=2016-10-03|title=Ulster U18 Girls win first ever Inter-Pro title|url=https://www.ulsterrugby.com/2016/10/ulster-u18-girls-win-first-ever-inter-pro-title/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=Ulster Rugby|language=en-US}}
She played with the Ulster XV and Sevens sides before being selected for the Ireland U18 Sevens in 2016, and from there she joined the Ireland Sevens programme and made her senior Sevens debut in Clermont in 2017.{{Cite web|date=2017-07-05|title=Claire Boles: "It's all about taking your chances"|url=https://www.ulsterrugby.com/2017/07/claire-boles-its-all-about-taking-your-chances/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=Ulster Rugby|language=en-US}}
Boles, like Irish teammates Stacey Flood and Katie Heffernan, spent two months in Australia in the summer of 2018, where she played with Bond University in the AON University Sevens.{{Cite news|title=Ireland duo Boles and Dane putting Enniskillen on map|language=en-GB|work=belfasttelegraph|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/six-nations/ireland-duo-boles-and-dane-putting-enniskillen-on-map-37833416.html|access-date=2021-04-29|issn=0307-1235}}
International career
Boles made her debut for Ireland XVs in the 2019 Women's Six Nations against Scotland and was also a replacement against Italy and France in that competition.{{Cite web|last=Kinsella|first=Murray|title=7s, 15s and Chemical Engineering - Enniskillen's Boles balancing the books|url=https://www.the42.ie/ireland-women-claire-boles-7s-15s-4502351-Feb2019/|access-date=2021-09-20|website=The42|date=20 February 2019 |language=en}}
She suffered a serious hamstring injury playing for her club in early 2020 that needed surgery so missed the 2020 Six Nations.
She was selected for the Ireland women's national rugby union team for the 2021 Women's Six Nations.{{Cite news|title=Five uncapped Sevens players named in Ireland squad for Women's Six Nations|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/five-uncapped-sevens-players-named-in-ireland-squad-for-women-s-six-nations-1.4517942|access-date=2021-09-20|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}} She was also selected for the Ireland women's national rugby sevens team for the 2021–22 season.{{Cite news |date=2021-08-10 |title=Parsons and Wall included in Ireland Sevens squad |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0810/1240088-parsons-and-wall-included-in-ireland-sevens-squad/ |work=RTÉ Sport |language=en}}
Boles competed for Ireland at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Ireland - Rugby Sevens Olympic Games Paris 2024 |url=https://www.world.rugby/tournaments/olympics/paris-2024/participating-nations/ireland |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=www.world.rugby}}{{Cite web |date=2024-06-17 |title=Ireland Sevens Squads Confirmed For 2024 Paris Olympics |url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/2024/06/17/ireland-sevens-squads-confirmed-for-2024-paris-olympics/ |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Irish Rugby |language=en-US}} She was named in Ireland's XV's side for the 2025 Six Nations Championship in March.{{Cite web |date=11 February 2025 |title=Bemand Names Ireland Preparation Squad For Guinness Women's Six Nations |url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/2025/02/11/bemand-names-ireland-preparation-squad-for-guinness-womens-six-nations/ |access-date=19 March 2025 |website=Irish Rugby}}{{Cite web |date=12 February 2025 |title=Bemand announces Ireland's squad for Guinness Women's Six Nations |url=https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/en/w6n/news/bemand-announces-irelands-squad-for-guinness-womens-six-nations |access-date=19 March 2025 |website=Six Nations Rugby}}
Personal life
Boles is studying chemical engineering at the University College Dublin. She has a twin, Katie, who also played rugby for Enniskillen RFC. She grew up on a farm.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.irishrugby.ie/women/claire-boles/ Claire Boles] at Irish Rugby
- [https://www.irishrugby.ie/ireland_women_sevens/claire-boles Claire Boles] at Irish Rugby Sevens
- {{OFI profile|claire-boles}}
- [https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/claire-boles_1544436 Claire Boles] at the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics
{{Ireland women's sevens 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boles, Claire}}
Category:Irish female rugby union players
Category:Ireland international women's rugby sevens players
Category:Ireland women's international rugby union players
Category:Irish rugby sevens players
Category:Sportspeople from Enniskillen
Category:Rugby union players from County Fermanagh
Category:Twins from Northern Ireland
Category:21st-century sportswomen from Northern Ireland
Category:Ulster Rugby women's players