Sadhbh McGrath eyes Rugby World Cup breakthrough

At just 20 years old, Sadhbh McGrath is on the brink of a dream that once seemed a lifetime away.

In a matter of weeks, the Buncrana-born prop could find herself scrummaging against world champions and Olympic veterans on rugby’s biggest stage - the Women’s Rugby World Cup.

For the past two years, McGrath has been living with that target in her sights. Now, the countdown is nearly over.

McGrath is part of a 37-player preliminary squad preparing for the tournament, which kicks off this August in England. Sixteen teams will contest the competition, with Ireland drawn in Pool C alongside reigning champions New Zealand, Japan, and Spain. Just 33 players will make the final squad, and McGrath is determined to be one of them.

“That’s my goal,” she says firmly. “To be the best player I can be, to take on everything the coaches are giving us, and just keep improving.

“I’m so happy to be taking a full part in pre-season this time. I’ve missed a few before due to injury and had to slot in midway through. It’s great to come in fresh.”

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Sadhbh’s rugby journey began with City of Derry RFC, but and caught the eye of the Ulster interprovincial coaches. At 18, she made the move to Cooke RFC in Belfast - a decision that would prove pivotal in her rapid development.

“I’d just turned 18 and I knew if I wanted to push myself, I needed to be in an AIL club,” she recalls. “A lot of the Ulster girls I played with were at Cooke too, and that made the move easier. They're a great bunch.”

Now based in Dublin and one year into a communications degree at DCU, McGrath juggles the demands of academia with the intense schedule of a rising international athlete.

Her time with the Irish Clovers in the Celtic Challenge has helped bridge the gap between club and international rugby.

During the season, her week is a whirlwind: Monday and Tuesday training in Dublin, Wednesday and Thursday in Limerick, and matches on Saturdays.

When pre-season rolls around - as it has now - those days are packed with team sessions in the capital from Monday to Thursday before heading home to Donegal for a remote Saturday workout.

“We’re flat out,” she says with a laugh. “The sessions are tough, but when the whole squad is going through it together, it makes it easier.

We’re all staying in the same hotel and the craic is good.”

Teenage Debut

McGrath’s first taste of international rugby came before she had even sat her Leaving Cert.

In the 2023 Six Nations, at just 18, she was handed her debut against Wales in Cardiff - a baptism of fire in a 31-5 defeat.

“I was very young and inexperienced,” she admits. “But I learned so much from it. The front row is such a technical position. You need so many reps to understand it. The experience of playing at that level, even so young, really helped me improve.”

Now, she’s comfortable playing both loosehead and tighthead. “I don’t have a preference really. A few weeks ago, I liked tighthead more. Now I’m back to loosehead. I just want to be ready wherever they need me.”

The Irish coaching staff have been a major part of her evolution. “They’re constantly reviewing film with us, showing the little things we can work on. When I look back now on my first cap, I can see all the areas where I needed to improve. It’s all in the details.”

Sadhbh's journey hasn’t been without its setbacks. A knee cartilage injury in early 2024 during the Celtic Challenge turned into a longer saga than anyone anticipated. Though she played through the Six Nations after an initial rehab period, the knee wasn’t right. Surgery followed in June.

“I probably rushed it,” she says honestly. “I wasn’t giving it time to heal. I just wanted to play. It was hard. I remember walking to the shop wondering if my knee would ever not be sore.”

While rehabbing during Ireland’s WXV1 tournament in Canada that September, she was hopeful of returning for the final game. It wasn’t to be, but she was there, part of the moment, when Ireland beat the mighty New Zealand Black Ferns in Vancouver.

“I was up in the stands operating one of the team cameras,” she laughs. “I was supposed to be tracking the play but I don’t know what kind of footage I got - I was jumping around and screaming! It was unreal.”

That win over the reigning world champions cemented a belief in the squad. “There were no doubts going into that game,” Sabhdh recalled. “The girls knew they could beat them and it was class to see.”

McGrath returned in time for the 2025 Six Nations, though not immediately to the starting lineup.

“I was available for the first game, but you have to prove yourself. It took me a few weeks to show the coaches I was ready to play. I’m grateful for that too - it made me better.

“You can’t expect to just walk back in after injury.”

She featured in the final two games of the campaign, showing enough to secure her spot in the extended World Cup squad. And despite additional setbacks - a bulging disc in her back requiring cortisone injections - she’s now back to full fitness.

“My knee feels great. It’s a bit different, sure, but I trust it now. I’m flying it, thank God.”

Eyes on England

With the World Cup being hosted across the Irish Sea, the buzz around the competition is expected to be huge. Games will take place in prime time, and Ireland’s opener against Japan in Northampton on August 24 promises to be a big occasion.

“The profile will be massive,” McGrath says. “And it’s brilliant that family and fans can come over easily. Hopefully we’ll get a big travelling crowd.”

She’ll celebrate her 21st birthday the day before Ireland’s final pool game against Spain - what better way to mark it than on the biggest stage in world rugby?

For now, though, she’s focused on making the final cut and being part of that squad of 33.

“We’ve warm-up games against Scotland and Canada. Every session, every rep counts. I just want to keep pushing, keep learning, and give myself the best shot.”

Injury tested her, competition sharpened her, and now opportunity awaits.

Sadhbh McGrath has already packed an international career’s worth of highs and lows into two short years. But for the Buncrana prop, the best chapters may just be about to begin.