Fit-again back rower Erin King has been chosen to lead Ireland during the 2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations Championship ©Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Head coach Scott Bemand has today announced the appointment of Erin King as Ireland captain for the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship.
Having recently returned from injury, King will lead Ireland into this year’s Six Nations, which gets underway against England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday, April 11.
The 22-year-old flanker has made a significant impact in the green jersey since her Test debut against Australia in 2024, starring for Bemand’s side in their WXV1 campaign in Vancouver, before being voted the World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year.
Through her performances in the back row, his stature within the dressing room and on the pitch has grown hugely. She has emerged as a key leader and powerful force within the squad.
Capped seven times as a 15s international, King has scored three tries for Ireland, most memorably notching a second-half brace as the girls in green defeated New Zealand in Vancouver in September 2024.
Her appointment as captain ahead of the 2026 Championship is further evidence of her world-class potential and leadership qualities in green.
King made her breakthrough on the world stage with the Ireland Women’s Sevens team. She debuted on the HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai in 2021, before representing Ireland at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Commenting on today’s announcement, she said: “It is the ultimate honour to be asked to captain Ireland for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
“I love playing with this team and representing our country alongside a special group of team-mates, and now to have the privilege of captaining the side is a hugely proud moment for me and my family.”
“I have experienced a difficult year coming back from a serious knee injury, during which I wondered whether I’d ever have the opportunity to pull on the green jersey again, so to come back and be asked by Scott to take on this responsibility is the highlight of my career.
“I will do my utmost to represent the team on and off the pitch with respect, dignity, and the determination required of the title, doing all I can to help us grow and achieve our potential moving towards this Championship and beyond.
Although I am still young in my career, I will relish the challenge ahead and know I will have incredible support all around me, not just from the leadership group, but from Sam (Monaghan) and Edel (McMahon), from whom I have learned so much about leadership and the qualities required to represent our country and the jersey on the world stage.”
The Ireland squad launched their preparations for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations with a three-day training camp at the IRFU High Performance Centre this week.
King and her team-mates will open their campaign in London, before hosting Italy at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on Saturday, April 18 (kick-off 5.40pm).
Bemand’s charges then travel to France in round 3 on Saturday, April 25 (kick-off 9.10pm local time/8.10pm Irish time), before concluding the Championship with back-to-back home games in Belfast and Dublin.
Wales will be the visitors to Affidea Stadium in round 4 on Saturday, May 9 (kick-off 6.30pm), before Scotland come to the Aviva Stadium on the final weekend on Sunday, May 17 (kick-off 2.30pm).
The round 5 encounter will be the first ever standalone Women’s international at the home of Irish Rugby, and ticket sales have already passed the 12,500 mark.
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