Wilson sisters shine bright for Leinster
Hannah (left) and Emma-Jane (right) celebrate after the Munster game in Musgrave Park, Cork.
Kildare sisters, Hannah and Emma-Jane Wilson have been two of the shining lights for Leinster over the past three weeks during the IRFU Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.
The pair have been involved in all three games, as Leinster lost to Munster in the curtain-raiser before going on to beat Connacht and Ulster to advance to the final and set up a rematch against Munster.
Hannah (22) and Emma-Jane (18) spoke with The Kildare Nationalist this week to discuss their time with the eastern province, their hopes for the future, and the journey that set it all in motion.
Elder sister, Hannah began playing with the boys team underage at Cill Dara before joining the amalgamation team of PortDara Falcons at U12. A powerful loosehead prop, Hannah soon impressed with PortDara and was called into the North Midlands U14 and U16 teams.
Hannah continued to catch the eye of her coaches and at just 16 years old she was drafted into the Leinster U18 squad. The Kildare prop received her first callup to the senior provincial squad at 18, although she had to wait two years to make her debut.
Hannah’s first appearance for Leinster came against Munster in the 2025 Interprovincial Championship. Recalled for this year’s tournament, Hannah came off the bench in the 2026 opener – again against Munster – and while Leinster were on the wrong end of the result that day, it did mark a major milestone for Hannah as she crossed over for a precious try.
The game against Connacht marked another milestone, as Hannah was not only named in the starting front row, but also crossed for another try to help steer Leinster to victory, before playing her part against Ulster in a phenomenal win on Saturday in Belfast.
The current Leinster squad features more than ten girls from across Kildare, which Hannah says only adds to the camaraderie in camp.
“We would have played for North Midlands together up at underage,” she told The Kildare Nationalist. “It's nice having that coming up through the levels that you still have them same girls when you get to senior level. Camp has been really good, really positive; and it’s great having the (international) girls back in as well.” Hannah, who also plays for the Wolfhounds (Leinster plus Ulster) in the Celtic Challenge and with Old Belvedere in the All-Ireland League, harbours aspirations of becoming an Irish international herself in the future and has already tasted life as a professional rugby player.
“The big dream is to be playing for Ireland, but I'm sure it'll be a while until we're at that level with the props that are ahead of me at the moment,” she said. “I would love to play professionally. I played in South Africa and in Fiji on a six-week contract – I loved that.”
This past weekend was an extraordinary one for Emma-Jane, who had Leinster training Thursday, collected her Leaving Cert results on Friday, played for Leinster against Ulster in Belfast on Saturday, and had her Debs yesterday (Monday, 24th) to cap it all off.
At just 18 years old, Emma-Jane has already mirrored so much of her elder sister’s career path. The younger Wilson began life her rugby journey at Cill Dara, often training and playing with the boys before joining PortDara.
“When I was younger, I always wanted to do what my big sister was doing. So, I used to be out on the sidelines all the time and then eventually dad gave in and let me train with the U7s,” she said.
Since then, Emma-Jane has gone from strength to strength, and always seems to be on the cusp of breaking through. She began to get noticed by North Midlands, Leinster and even Ireland, but the timing never seemed to match up. Emma-Jane constantly found herself a year too young to actually play for these teams, instead having to console herself with getting to train along with the elite players and coaches involved.
Emma-Jane finally made her senior Leinster debut at the start of this championship, coming off the bench in Cork against an impressive Munster side. “When I was coming on, I was like, oh my God, I'm playing with people who I looked up to when I was younger - Linda Djougang would have been one of my idols growing up; same thing with Aaron King,” she said.
“My first senior cap was this year with the Wolfhounds. Hannah was on the pitch and I came over to her; we got into match mode, but I got a massive hug off her…. Having my sister alongside me made it so much easier. I think it's different than getting coaches' advice and other players' advice when you can get your sisters’, because I can be very brutally honest to Hannah, and Hannah can do the exact same to me, because we know it's coming from the right place."
Emma-Jane spent her formative years as a fly half, but was convinced to convert to hooker by former coach, Paidi Mahon; a switch that has proven extremely prosperous for the Kildare teenager. However, that change of position does present one major issue - Leinster's current captain and former Cill Dara teammate, Sarah Delaney, is the starting hooker. But mature as ever, Emma-Jane does not see that conflict as a problem - quite the opposite in fact.
"I'm very lucky to have known Sarah for the past eight years of my life," Emma-Jane said. "She's such a good friend of mine, and I know I could go to her with anything; if I have anything about the team or anything at all, I could go to Sarah about it. She's an unbelievable captain and an even better person to be working alongside."
Leinster will face Munster in the Interprovincial Championship Final, this coming Saturday, August 29th, at Galway's Dexcom Stadium.
