Meet Ireland’s Six Nations rugby WAGs from childhood sweethearts to a Miss Universe
IRELAND will still have some stellar ladies backing them ahead of their Six Nations opener against Wales.
From the Irish Miss Universe to the childhood sweethearts who have stood by the players since they were at school, we meet the glamorous Irish Rugby WAGs who will be cheering on Andy Farrell's side.
The Olympic athlete
Like her husband CJ Stander, Jean-Marie Stander is a professional athlete and has competed for their native South Africa in swimming.
The law graduate has been married to Munster powerhouse CJ for seven years. Her brother is Olympic gold medallist Ryk Neethling.
She and , since moving to the country in 2012 – welcomed a baby girl, Everli in 2019.
After seven years of marriage, romantic CJ said: “They said marriage is tough, I’m still waiting on that tough part.”
The childhood sweetheart
Drop kick king Johnny Sexton and his childhood sweetheart Laura Priestley married in a gorgeous Limerick ceremony back in 2013.
They met as teens in their native Dublin. They now share son, Luca and daughters Amy and Sophie.
Laura works as a teacher and despite her hubby’s heroics for the Ireland squad, she likes to keep a low profile.
The Belgian-born solicitor
Belgian-born Jessica Moloney is a solicitor in Cork and has been dating 31-year-old Munster flanker Peter O'Mahony for a number of years.
They got engaged in March 2018 in Dubai, with her joking: "And I was beginning to think that knee couldn't bend!”
And in July 2020 they got married in their back garden.
They have daughter Indie and son Theo.
The dietitian student
Garry Ringrose is dating his childhood sweetheart Ellen Beirne.
The Leinster centre and Ellen have been dating for about four years.
He recently said he was "incredibly lucky" to have Ellen on the sideline cheering for him.
He said: "She is the best and she is incredibly supportive. I am incredibly lucky to have her in my corner in the not-so-great times.”
The Miss Universe
Munster scrum half Conor Murray is dating 2015 Miss Universe Ireland winner Joanna Cooper.
She studied Journalism at Belfast University and now works as a model, on the books of Present Model Management and Studio Paris MGMT.
She lives in London, but splits her time between her boyfriend's home in Limerick and her native Derry.
"I do come home a good bit, it's like an hour flight so it's fine. But I don't know if I see myself moving back. Definitely not to Derry anyway," she said last year. "I see him a lot. We come over and back."
Recently, the pair sparked engagement rumours when team mate Cian Healy wrote, “Congrats mate, about time,” alongside a diamond ring emoji in a comment on Instagram for one of their loving snaps.
The uni student
UCD student Sophie Marren is the long-term girlfriend of Robbie Henshaw with the pair being in a relationship for five years.
It's not all glamorous though – the pair spent Valentine's Day 2019 in hospital after the Leinster fullback, from Athlone, suffered a shoulder injury.
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The private pair
Jordan Larmour will be supported by his girlfriend Lucy Byrne.
They’ve apparently been dating for over three years but keep their relationship private – which may have helped him become Leinster and Ireland’s newest rising superstar.
He was a doubt for the Six Nations after dislocating his shoulder back in October, however last week he was recalled by Andy Farrell.
