‘A Really Happy Moment For Us, The Greatest Surprise’ – Costigan

Amee-Leigh Costigan has been bowled over by the love and support she has received since announcing her pregnancy. She says she will turn into Ireland’s number one supporter when they kick off their Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign next month.

Costigan is expecting twins with her husband Neil, going public with the news last week via a heartwarming Instagram post. Set for an extended break from rugby, she has not played since Ireland’s quarter-final appearance at the Women’s Rugby World Cup last September.

The Tipperary-born winger, Irish Rugby’s most prolific and decorated Sevens player of all-time, has become a key figure for Scott Bemand’s 15s team, scoring six tries in 13 Tests since September 2024, and captaining the side twice during the 2025 Six Nations.

Female international players taking time out to start families before returning to the sport has thankfully become more commonplace and normalised in recent times, with tangible support from Unions, in the form of clear maternity and player welfare policies, helping to make it possible to combine elite rugby with motherhood.

One of 35 players currently centrally contracted by the IRFU across the Women’s High Performance Programme, Costigan, of course, has a few current and former team-mates she can turn to for advice.

She played alongside Ashleigh Orchard (née Baxter) at the 2024 Olympics in Paris,  the dual international making an inspirational return to the Ireland Sevens team having given birth to baby Arabella the previous August.

Louise Galvin and Eimear Considine Ryan, who also won Sevens and 15s caps for Ireland, came back to high level sport after having their first sons. Galvin rejoined the Kerry Gaelic football team in the aftermath, while Considine Ryan brilliantly got back to play in WXV1 last season before retiring.

Ellena Perry’s young son Bert had a whole set of new ‘aunties’ when she made her Ireland debut last summer and was part of Bemand’s World Cup squad. The former England prop had retired from rugby after giving birth in 2022, but gave it another shot with Gloucester-Hartpury and is now part of the Green Wave.

Speaking to Irish Rugby TV about her own pregnancy announcement, Costigan said: “It’s such special news for myself and my husband Neil and both our families.

“Probably wasn’t expecting to have twins, or had it on our radar. Although that was a really happy moment for us, it was also the greatest suprise that we’ll ever, ever get in our lives.

“I obviously told the management and the medical staff immediately once I found out, just so they were aware of what was going on. They were so, so happy for me and Neil.

“They showed a lot of support for me around that time. They allowed me to step away from rugby here in the HPC (the IRFU High Performance Centre) and train remotely.

“I kind of just set a narrative that I was taking a break from rugby, just to protect my own peace, go away and look after myself.”

All going well, Costigan, who turns 31 next month, still feels she had plenty of rugby left in her legs. She made her 15s international debut during the 2021 Six Nations, and now has 23 caps and 10 Test tries to her name, as well as an Irish record haul of 203 tries in 50 World Sevens Series events.

Her importance to this Ireland squad was summed up by Eve Higgins who described her as ‘such a good person and such a good player, one of the most caring people I know, and a leader through and through’.

‘Leigh’ was enveloped by hugs from her team-mates after revealing her pregnancy news to them, with her due date in the summer. Her future plans may change of course, but she speaks with a quiet determination about returning to the game she loves, and donning the green jersey again, once the time is right.

“Got back in here (at the HPC) at the end of January and I was able to announce it to the group. Just got up and said, you know, ‘Thank you for all the support that you’ve given me over the last few years, but I have some news to tell you all’.

“So then I was able to say I’m pregnant. Got a standing ovation, everybody stood up, clapped, was so, so happy. I could see so much joy, but then I knew I had something extra to add.

“Then they all sat down and I announced that it was going to be two wingers and not just one! That was the way I put, and again they all stood up and clapped and were so happy for me.

“I got plenty of hugs after that announcement, and so much support as well, like. It’s really important right now to keep myself fit and strong so that upon my return, I’m able to get back as quick as possible.”

Australian star Charlotte Caslick, who is slightly older than Costigan and also pregnant, intends to play at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 and the 15s Rugby World Cup the following year on home soil Down Under. The Tipperary Town native would have similar goals surely, if she wants to extend her international career.

Age has proven no barrier to some of the game’s most influential players still performing at the highest level. You only have to look to last year’s World Cup where 36-year-old scrum half Natasha Hunt helped England to the title, Canada’s Karen Paquin was a silver medallist at the age of 37, and legendary winger Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (34) scored her 50th Test try, a New Zealand record for either men or women.

Costigan remains an integral part of the Green Wave going forward, and her input behind the scenes will aid Erin King as she steps up as Ireland’s newly-appointed captain. Head coach Bemand expressed the delight of the whole group when speaking about the winger becoming a mother.

“It’s wonderful news about Amee-Leigh. The world where female athletes can have a family and a baby and be supported in that, I think the IRFU are doing a really good job in supporting her,” he said.

“She is still in on the centralised programme and in training – appropriate training – with us. She’s a big voice, a big character around the group in terms of her leadership and experiences that she has had.

“We’re using Amee-Leigh to support Erin’s growth in the captaincy. She is very much involved. As we go through, obviously the spotlight will be on a (squad of) 36. The group is bigger than a 36.”

Costigan added: “It’s been so great, so many of the girls check in on me every day. Like we always speak about how much of a close-knit team that we really are.

“It’s been so nice that this connectivity that we have is still going. They want to see me on the sidelines supporting them, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to be their number one supporter.”