Lyons has big dreams for Leinster and Ireland

In a profile that the Kildare LGFA posted on their Facebook page in April 2020, then U14 county star Heidi Lyons listed two answers under the section ‘Biggest hope for the future’.

While one of them was to become a Kildare senior Gaelic player, the other was to be a professional rugby player. Although she was presented with an opportunity to fulfil the former earlier on this year, Lyons now has her sights firmly set on achieving the latter.

She hasn’t quite reached the stage of being a contracted player within the Ireland Women’s 15s programme just yet, but the Two Mile House native has been making significant strides. Initially named in an extended training squad for the tournament, last Friday saw Lyons being included in Leinster’s official 30-strong selection for the forthcoming Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

“I was indecisive! I didn’t know which one I wanted to play, but after a while rugby is a bit more craic I think. I’m over the GAA days now,” Lyons remarked at an open media session that Leinster held last week.

“I was asked to play with the seniors in Kildare this year and then we won an [U16] All-Ireland three years ago I think. The one before I did my ACL, but I’m just looking to focus on rugby now and see what I can achieve with that.” 

A current member of Naas RFC, Lyons has also represented North Midlands and it was whilst lining out for the latter that she suffered an aforementioned anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept her sidelined for an extended period.

However, she isn’t the only person in her family who has had to deal with a set-back of this kind in recent times. A professional footballer in England with EFL League One outfit Blackpool, Heidi’s older brother Andy picked up an ACL injury of his own playing against Leyton Orient in February 2024 and was forced to wait more than a year for his next competitive appearance.

Yet last Saturday saw him starting for Blackpool in a season opener at home to Stevenage and his sister also returned to action a number of months ago - albeit off the field matters restricted her minutes on the pitch to some extent.

“I was playing for North Midlands and just in the seventh minute, I think it was, I scored a try. Then two minutes later I was just running down the pitch and then did my ACL running to tackle someone. Out for a year, it was tough. I’m only back about seven months or so now,” Lyons explained.

“I was in with the Six Nations. Luckily I got in for the Six Nations and then played a few club games, but this has been really it because I was focused on my Leaving Cert as well.” The Six Nations that Lyons refers to is the Six Nations U18 Women’s Festival that took place at Wellington College in England from April 11-19. This tournament consisted of each team playing two 30-minute matches on game days one (April 11) and two (April 15) before playing a full 60-minute match on the last day (April 19).

Lyons made a strong impression over the course of this tournament as she slotted over a conversion in an opening day victory over Italy before making the match day squad for their closing game against Wales on April 19.

Whereas underage pathways may not have existed for players in the past, Lyons is part of a generation that are able to learn the ropes at U18 and U20 level prior to a potential call-up to the Ireland senior group.

“It [underage pathway] makes it a lot easier. More seamless going into the senior game. It would be a lot harder if I had to come from club straight into senior Leinster. That step up makes it a lot easier.

“It has been my goal since I was younger [to play for Ireland]. It was a really big achievement for myself personally and my family as well. My family were really proud of me.” 

Of course, Lyons’ focus for the time being will be on Leinster’s Interprovincial campaign, which begins at Energia Park this Sunday with a 2.30pm showdown against Ulster. Additional encounters with Munster (August 16) and Connacht (August 23) are also on the horizon in advance of a finals day at the end of the month and Lyons admitted it would be a great privilege to don the Leinster jersey in any of these games.

“It would mean everything to me. Even getting the opportunity to come in for the first few weeks and train was a big honour to me. Just trying to get a name in the squad and further on would be my hopes anyway. A massive honour, it would mean everything to me,” Lyons added.