“My best-ever present was a tiny pony called Yellow Ribbons”

The Ireland captain talks horses, heights and history

- Alan Dymock

I RELAND DIDN’T play at this season’s World Cup in New Zealand, but they’ve headed into the 2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations hoping to improve on last year’s fourth-place finish. Second-row Nichola Fryday captains the side and has said that Ireland’s women want to emulate the Grand Slam-winning men’s and U20s sides, saying of the senior men’s team: “They are inspiring a nation and we have always said that we want to bring that to the women’s game.”

Fryday has been in great form at domestic level herself, helping the Exeter Chiefs guarantee their place in the Allianz Premier 15s semi-finals that take place in June.

We had a chat with the experienced lock to find out a bit more about what makes her and team-mates tick…

What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen or heard on the pitch?

I think you should put a microphone on (Blackrock College and Ireland flanker) Dorothy Wall in the scrum – she always comes out with the strangest things when trying to motivate the props. She’s constantly shouting at Linda (Djougang) to push harder or get lower. There’s some very Irish sayings that she comes out with, so it’s definitely worth listening to her on the pitch.

Who is your funniest team-mate?