Hannah O'Connor
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}{{Infobox rugby biography|birth_date={{birth date and age|1990|04|28|df=y}}|ru_proclubs=Blackrock College
Leinster|repsevensteam1={{nwrut7|Ireland}}|repsevensyears1=|ru_nationalpoints=(0)|ru_nationalcaps=20|ru_nationalteam={{nwrut|Ireland}}|ru_nationalyears=2019–present|ru_clubpoints=|ru_clubcaps=|ru_clubyears=2018-
2018-|birth_place=Kildare, Ireland|ru_amateurclubs=CYM Terenure|ru_amateuryears=2015-2018|ru_position=Back Row, Second Row|weight={{cvt|85|kg|lb stlb}}|height={{height|m=1.75}}|caption=Hannah O'Connor|image=|repsevenscomp1=0}}Hannah O'Connor (born 28 April 1990) is an Irish rugby player from Galway. She plays for Blackrock College RFC, Leinster and the Ireland women's national rugby union team.
Club career
O'Connor excelled at several sports in her youth and only took up rugby in 2013 for social reasons. Her first club was CYM Terenure, a Leinster League Division 2 side. To get experience at Ireland's premier level (the All-Ireland League) she moved to Blackrock College RFC which also led to her selection for provincial side Leinster.
O'Connor started out in rugby playing in the out-half position, then moved to centre but now plays in the back row. She can play any position in the back-row but plays number eight at club level. Unique for a forward she is also a place-kicker and takes them for club and province (Leinster). O'Connor was the top place-kicker in the 2019-2020 All-Ireland League when she was also selected as its Player of the Year.{{Cite web|last=O'Brien|first=Brendan|date=2020-05-14|title=O'Connor finishes curtailed campaign at top of the AIL class|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/rugby/arid-30999414.html|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Irish Examiner|language=en}}
She has won the interprovincial series with Leinster in 2018 and 2019 and was the competition's top points scorer in 2019.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-15|title=Scoring Charts: Energia Women's All-Ireland League 2019/20|url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/2020/04/15/scoring-charts-energia-womens-all-ireland-league-2019-20/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=Irish Rugby|language=en-US}}
International career
O'Connor made her debut for the Ireland women's national rugby union team in November 2019 in an Autumn international, when she was a replacement for Judy Bobbett.{{Cite news|last=Bowl|first=Daire Walsh at the UCD|title=Ireland pipped at the post by Wales|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/ireland-pipped-at-the-post-by-wales-1.4078336|access-date=2021-05-18|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}
She made her Six Nations debut in the 2020 Women's Six Nations as a late replacement for Dorothy Wall against Italy.{{Cite web|last=Farrell|first=Sinead|title=Three-try Ireland complete Italian job to maintain winning home Six Nations form|url=https://www.the42.ie/ireland-v-italy-womens-six-nations-match-report-5243905-Oct2020/|access-date=2021-05-18|website=The42|language=en}}
She played in Ireland's three games in the 2021 Women's Six Nations which was rescheduled and re-formatted due to COVID-19. She replaced Ciara Griffin after 64 minutes against Wales, replaced Claire Molloy after 54 minutes versus France and replaced Griffin (who had a head injury) after just 13 minutes of the 3rd/4th place playoff against Italy which Ireland won 25–5.{{Cite web|date=2021-04-26|title=O'Connor: These Matches Will Really Stand To Us|url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/2021/04/26/oconnor-these-matches-will-really-stand-to-us/|access-date=2021-04-29|website=Irish Rugby|language=en-US}}
Personal life
Born in Dublin, O'Connor's family moved from Kildare to Loughrea, Galway which gave her a very broad sporting experience. She first played soccer and ladies gaelic football, then camogie and golf. She was the Connacht Junior Girls' Golf Champion in 2006 and represented Connacht at U18 level in golf.{{Cite news|last=Keenan|first=Shay|title=The Short Game|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/the-short-game-1.1201103|access-date=2021-05-18|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}
She is a primary school teacher in Lucan.
Honours
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References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.irishrugby.ie/women/hannah-oconnor/ Irish Rugby Profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:OConnor, Hannah}}
Category:Irish female rugby union players
Category:Ireland women's international rugby union players
Category:Ireland international women's rugby sevens players