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Parsons Suffers Cruel Injury Blow

Béibhinn Parsons is pictured in action for Ireland against the USA during the opening leg of the HSBC SVNS Series in Dubai ©INPHO/Martin Seras Lima

Ireland dual international Béibhinn Parsons is unfortunately facing another lengthy spell on the sidelines after breaking her leg during last weekend’s HSBC SVNS Cape Town event.

A bacterial infection impacted the Ireland Men’s and Women’s Sevens squads in South Africa, and while the Women’s team dug deep to finish eighth overall, their thoughts were immediately with their stricken team-mate, Parsons, who was stretchered off against France.

Leading a second-minute attack into the French 22, the Ballinasloe native fell awkwardly in a tackle from Marie Dupouy and it quickly became apparent that it was a serious injury, with the stretcher buggy called for.

It is awful luck for Parsons who was only in her second tournament back since suffering a broken fibula during Ireland’s quarter-final defeat to Australia at the Olympic Games in Paris in late July.

Now just over four months on from the Olympics, her strong start to the new HSBC SVNS Series season has been cruelly cut short. She scored tries against China and the USA in Dubai, and also crossed during their Cape Town opener against Spain.

Having missed Ireland’s impressive WXV1 campaign in Canada, the 23-year-old, who was set to play both Sevens and 15s ahead of next year’s Rugby World Cup in England, is a major doubt for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations which kicks off in March.

Taking to Instagram to confirm the disappointing news, Parsons said: “Breaking my leg for the second time so soon after returning has been heartbreaking.

“Knowing exactly what’s ahead of me is both a blessing and a curse, but one thing I’ve learned from before is that surrounding yourself with good people is the best way through so that’s what I’ll do.

“To anyone that’s cheered me up or been a shoulder to cry on, thank you – you help more than you know. Time to heal a broken leg (and heart), and if anyone has any tips for not breaking the same leg three times, I’m all ears!”

The Ireland Women’s Sevens team are back in action at the season’s third leg in Perth on January 24-26. Tickets are available here for the bumper three-day event in Western Australia, where Parsons and her team-mates enjoyed a breakthrough title win almost twelve months ago.

Meanwhile, the Ireland Women’s 15s side will return to Belfast and Cork for two mouth-watering Six Nations home clashes in 2025, as Scott Bemand’s charges begin the countdown to the World Cup. Tickets for the games against France and England are available here.