John Mitchell, you killjoy. The England head coach had a chance to create a touching story in today’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations match between England and Ireland, but he went with his head instead. His squad choice meant leaving out Claudia MacDonald, the 33-cap England winger who hasn’t played this year due to a major neck injury. After nearly a year of recovery, the emotional twist is that she’s set to marry Ireland’s hooker Cliodhna Moloney next month. England Match Means More to Moloney.
Moloney shared how she felt about possibly facing her fiancée in the game. “We’ve been together for seven years, played together at Wasps and now at Exeter Chiefs, but we’ve never gone head-to-head. It would have been a special moment,” she said. She also talked about Claudia’s strength in dealing with her recovery, calling the injury scary. “It made us both think about how rugby fits into real life. Luckily, her neck healed, and she’s back to doing what she loves. She’s really tough.” England Match Means More to Moloney.
Mitchell’s choice to leave out MacDonald might leave fans bummed about missing that romantic angle, but it also shows England’s serious goals in this tournament. Even though they won’t be playing against each other, the competitive vibe between the couple is still strong. It reminds Moloney of Andy and Owen Farrell, who play for different teams in the men’s game. But she insists their talks stay casual, “We just catch up about our day, how training was. Nothing tactical. It’s like chatting after work.”
Moloney’s own path back to the Irish team is notable. After being dropped in 2022 for criticizing the IRFU’s women’s rugby program, coach Scott Bemand brought her back. Her comeback kicked off with a tough 88-10 loss to England, but a year later, she believes the team has changed. “There’s a huge difference now. Our set-piece has improved. Everyone’s expectations are up. Training is tougher, and everyone is pushing harder. The team wants more.”
Looking back at that heavy defeat, Moloney is sure it won’t happen again. “That was probably the biggest match many in the group had ever played. We’ve grown since then, and I think we’d all agree—it won’t happen again.”
