ENYA Breen was always destined to shine on the big stage, insists one of her former underage coaches, Patrick O’Connor.
He coached the Irish rugby star when she was coming up through the ranks at Bantry Bay RFC, and watched Breen develop and grow into one of the region’s top rugby players.
O’Connor was cheering his former player on as she made a huge impact on her Rugby World Cup debut on Sunday – the Castletownshend woman scored a try against Japan with her first touch after coming on as a sub in Ireland’s eye-catching 42-14 win at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton.
This was a magical moment for Munster ace Breen.
‘It was great to see Enya score that try. It was brilliant to get on the field, first of all, after being named on the bench,’ O’Connor told The Southern Star.
‘You always had those hopes following Enya up along – she played for the Ireland U18s, then broke into the Munster team, then onto the Ireland senior squad. You always hoped that she would find her place and push on.
‘It’s a very rare feat for a player to say they scored in a Rugby World Cup. That’s massive. It’s a huge feeling of pride that you’d feel for her.’
Enya Breen in action for Bantry Bay RFC.
So, was it a shock that Breen (26) has reached the world stage? O’Connor shakes his head – there was always something about Enya. Not only has she the talent, but also the work ethic and will to succeed.
‘The hallmarks were always there. She always had a great attitude for the game. Physically, she was able, but the mental side was always there as well,’ the Bantry rugby coach explained.
‘When Enya played with us, she was playing at 10, a position where there is a lot of organisation and you have to know the ins and outs of how a team wants to play. She always had a great capacity for that and was able to run the team.
‘We always kind of had it at the back of your head that this girl had potential. We always believed that she would push on and get to that next level. It’s great to see that Enya is fulfilling that potential.’
From the start, all Breen wanted to do was play rugby – and O’Connor recalls one anecdote that highlights this.
‘I remember there was one game where she picked up a knock and had a suspected concussion. We had to pull her from the game but she was mad to get back on. You know how players are – they want to play, want to get stuck in,’ O’Connor said.
‘For her own good, we had to sit her down but she still wanted to be involved and she was still on the sideline cheering the team on. She almost made the calls for the other girls.
‘That hunger is clearly still there. She will do anything she’s asked, will play any role and any position – Enya will always keep her head down and keep going. To be honest, I think that’s a large part of what sets her apart from her peers: it’s that desire to be better.’
Enya Breen celebrates Ireland's famous win against New Zealand at WXV1 in September 2024 .
Bantry Bay RFC is buzzing this week, and so it should be – this is the club that helped develop an Irish player now making an impact at the Rugby World Cup. At the end of last year, she captained Ireland for the first time during their successful WXV1 campaign. Breen is putting women’s rugby on the map locally, just like Clonakilty’s Laura Guest, a World Cup veteran, did for years.
‘There is a huge sense of pride within the club. Not only myself and Damien (Hicks), who would have coached her directly, but the club itself is massively proud of the work we’ve done for girls’ rugby in West Cork and helping develop not just Enya but the rest of the players she played with,’ O’Connor said.
‘They have gone on to play AIL rugby and various college competitions. The club is still actively involved in women’s rugby. We’re hugely proud and you can see it on social media.
‘Whenever her name appears in the squad or on the teamsheet, we draw attention to it and support her as best as we can.
‘When we go to Ireland games, we bring the players, and the girls’ team in Skibbereen cheer her on too. By pure chance, I ended up working with her sister Shauna in Skibbereen for a while. I see that side of it as well – how her town as a whole is proud of her achievements.
‘There is no doubt that she is a role model and she sets the standard for girls coming through the system here. It’s amazing to point to her and say “look what you can achieve.” She’s a trailblazer in every sense of the word for every female rugby player in West Cork.’
Breen’s versatility is a huge aspect of her game and one of her main traits. There’s a reason she has racked up over 30 international appearances and is now playing at a World Cup.
Having played at fly-half regularly at local level, she has transformed into an accomplished centre and has become an important cog in the Irish squad.
‘She would pop up at centre from time to time. We put her at 10 because she had the best mental attitude for the game. As we have seen with Ireland, she is well able to kick as well – that element was massive for us,’ O’Connor explained.
‘When we rejigged things, we’d play her at centre and she would be well able for the demands of that position. Enya would slot in there and there was no problem. I’m not surprised that she has transitioned into a more central role now.’
With so much achieved already, O’Connor believes Breen still has more in the tank.
‘To be honest, I think the sky is the limit. Every challenge she’s faced, she has come out on top,’ he said.
‘She has got that hunger to push on, that desire to be better. If a women’s Lions team ever comes to fruition, I’m sure she’d be pushing for that and I have no doubt she has the potential to make it,’ the Bantry RFC coach added, as Ireland’s attention switches to their next World Cup Pool C game against Spain on Saturday, back in Northampton. It’s a chance for Breen to make headlines again.
