Erin King has been appointed Ireland captain for the 2026 Women’s Six Nations.
Having recently returned from injury, King will lead Ireland into this year’s Championship, which gets under way against England at Twickenham on Saturday, April 11th.
The 22-year-old flanker has made a significant impact in the green jersey since her Test debut against Australia in 2024, starring for head coach Scott Bemand’s side in their WXV1 campaign in Vancouver, before being named World Rugby Women’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year.
Through her performances in the backrow, King’s stature within the dressingroom and on the pitch has grown hugely, emerging as a key leader and powerful force in the Ireland engine room.
Capped seven times at Test level, King has scored three tries for Ireland, most memorably scoring a second-half brace as Bemand’s side defeated New Zealand in Vancouver in September 2024.
“It is the ultimate honour to be asked to captain Ireland for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations,” King said. “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.”
The Ireland squad launched their preparations for the tournament with a three-day training camp at the IRFU High Performance Centre this week.