Nora Stapleton

Nora Stapleton is a former Ireland women's rugby union international. Stapleton represented Ireland at the 2010, 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. She was also a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. Stapleton was a member of the first Ireland teams to defeat both England and New Zealand. Stapleton has also played two other football codes at a senior level. As a women's association football player, she played for UCD in FAI Women's Cup finals and UEFA Women's Cup campaigns. She has also played senior Ladies' Gaelic football for Donegal.

Nora Stapleton
Birth nameNora Stapleton
Date of birth (1983-07-05) 5 July 1983
Place of birthCounty Donegal, Ireland
Height1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight69 kg (152 lb)
UniversityUniversity College Dublin
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flyhalf / Out-half
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2007–
2017–		 Old Belvedere
Barbarians		 ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
2009– Leinster ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2010–2017  Ireland 50

Early years and education

Stapleton grew up in Fahan, near Buncrana, in Inishowen, County Donegal.[1][2][3][4] She was educated at St Mura's NS in Tooban and Crana College in Buncrana.[5] [6] Between 2001 and 2004 Stapleton attended University College Dublin where she a gained a BSc. She studied sports management, financial management, leisure management, theory of coaching, physiology and organisational management.[7][8]

Association football

Stapleton attended UCD on a soccer scholarship and played as a defender for the women's football team.[7][8][9] Together with Sylvia Gee, Mary Waldron and Caroline Thorpe, she was a prominent member of the UCD team that won three successive FAI Women's Cup finals between 2002 and 2004.[10][11][12] After winning the FAI Women's Cup, UCD qualified for the UEFA Women's Cup and Stapleton subsequently played in their 2003–04, 2004–05 and 2005–06 campaigns.[13] She also helped UCD complete a four-in-a-row of Dublin Women's Soccer League titles between 2003 and 2006.[14]

Ladies' Gaelic football
Nora Stapleton
Personal information
Sport Ladies' Gaelic football
Position Midfielder
Club(s)
Years Club
199x–
2001–2004
200x–
 Naomh Padraig (Muff)
UCD
Na Fianna
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
200x–201x
 Donegal

Clubs

Stapleton played ladies' Gaelic football at club level for Naomh Padraig,[2] UCD[7] and Na Fianna.[1][15]

Inter-County

Stapleton played for Donegal at senior inter-county level. In June 2008 she was named Player of the Month after helping Donegal defeat Armagh, the reigning champions, in the first round of the Ulster Senior Ladies' Football Championship.[15][16][17] On 26 September 2010, Stapleton helped Donegal win the 2010 All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies' Football Championship. In the final Donegal played a Waterford team that included Stapleton's Ireland women's rugby union international teammate, Niamh Briggs.[3][8][18][19][20][21][22] Between 2007 and 2013 Stapleton also worked for Ballinteer St John's GAA/Dublin GAA as a Gaelic games promotional officer.[7][16]

Rugby union

Old Belvedere

Stapleton did not start playing women's rugby union until she was 24. She was working for the Bank of Ireland in Dublin in 2007 when she was invited to play in a tag rugby social event. This subsequently led to an invitation to try out for Old Belvedere.[1][2][8] Stapleton was a member of Old Belvedere women's team that won three consecutive All Ireland Division One titles between 2013 and 2015. Stapleton captained the team in the 2015 final and scored nine points, a try and two conversations, as Old Belvedere defeated UL Bohemians 19–17 at Donnybrook Stadium.[23][24]

Leinster

Stapleton has played for Leinster in the IRFU Women's Interprovincial Series. She was first called up to the Leinster squad in 2009. [6][19][25][26]

Barbarians

On 10 November 2017 Stapleton came on as a replacement for the Barbarians against Munster in the invitational team's first women's match. Stapleton provided the assist for Georgina Roberts to score the crucial third try as the Barbarians won 19–0.[27][28][29] In March 2018 Stapleton also played for the Barbarians against a British Army XV. [30][31]

Ireland international

Between 2010 and 2017 Stapleton made 50 appearances for Ireland. She made her debut for Ireland against Italy on 5 February 2010.[6][19] Stapleton represented Ireland at the 2010, 2014 and 2017 Women's Rugby World Cups. At the 2014 tournament she was a member of the Ireland team that defeated New Zealand. She was also a member of the Ireland teams that won the 2013 and 2015 Women's Six Nations Championships. During the 2013 championship Stapleton was a member of the first Ireland team to defeat England. On 26 August 2017 Stapleton made her 50th and final appearance for Ireland against Wales during 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup.[1][32][3][33][34][35][36] Since 2013 Stapleton has also worked for the IRFU as a women and girls development manager.[7][19][37]

Honours

Rugby union
Ireland
Leinster
Old Belvedere
  • All Ireland Division One
    • Winners: 2013, 2014, 2015 : 3
Individual
  • Women's All Ireland Player’s Player of the Year Award

Association football
UCD

Gaelic football
Donegal
Individual
  • Ladies Player of the Month Award

References
  1. "Nora Stapleton: A decade in rugby and a half-century in the Irish green". www.donegaldaily.com. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  2. "Nora Stapleton: From a 'craic' game of tag rugby to a famous World Cup win over New Zealand". donegalnews.com. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  3. "Nora Stapleton: Ireland's outspoken out-half". www.irishexaminer.com. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  4. "Ireland's Nora Stapleton believes Women's Rugby is on the up". www.derryjournal.com. 28 March 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  5. "Nora Stapleton on All-Ireland Glory with Donegal and Irish Grand Slams". www.sportsjoe.ie. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  6. "Nora answers Ireland's call". www.inishowennews.com. 4 June 2017. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  7. "Nora Stapleton". ie.linkedin.com. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  8. "From 'girls not allowed' play to international star, with Croke Park glory over Ireland teammate in between". www.the42.ie. 4 June 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  9. "2004 UCD Connections Mag - University College Dublin" (PDF). www.ucd.ie. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  10. "UCD pass Cup test once again". www.irishtimes.com. 11 August 2003. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  11. "Kissane double sees off Lifford". www.independent.ie. 11 August 2003. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  12. "UCD v Dundalk Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 24 October 2004. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  13. "Ucd Womens Team Uefa Womens Cup Stats". foot.ie. 15 August 2005. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  14. "Current squad Statistics". foot.ie. 17 June 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2005.
  15. "Nora Stapleton is Player of the Month". ladiesgaelic.ie. 9 July 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  16. "Buncrana's Nora is GAA player of the month". www.derryjournal.com. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  17. "Irish Independent / Lucozade Sport Ladies Player of the Month Award for June Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 8 July 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  18. "Donegal v Waterford - TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Ladies Football Championship Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 26 September 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  19. "Our 12 Leinster Girls in Green: Nora Stapleton". www.leinsterrugby.ie. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  20. "Nora Stapleton on All-Ireland glory with Donegal and Irish Grand Slams". www.sportsjoe.ie. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  21. "World Cup hopes built on Gaelic football foundations". www.rte.ie. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  22. "Former Ladies Footballers Fuel Irish Rugby's Bid for World Rugby Glory". ladiesgaelic.ie. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  23. "Nora Stapleton leads Old Belvedere to another All Ireland success". www.highlandradio.com. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  24. "Stapleton and Hayes relishing rugby once again after quitting Ireland". www.irishtimes.com. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  25. "Leinster v Ulster - Women's Interprovincial Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 8 December 2012. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  26. "Leinster v Connacht - Women's Interprovincial Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 7 December 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  27. "Nora Stapleton named on first-ever Women's Barbarians squad". www.donegaldaily.com. 1 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  28. "Barbarians women's team shine on debut in Limerick". www.irishtimes.com. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  29. "Memorable first win for Baa-Baas". www.independent.ie. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  30. "Irish Quartet Selected For Barbarians Women's Clash With Army". www.irishrugby.ie. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  31. "Defeat For British Army Women In Historic Barbarians Clash". www.forces.net. 19 March 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  32. "Miller hat-trick hands Ireland historic win over England". www.sixnationsrugby.com. 9 February 2013. Archived from the original on 22 July 2018. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
  33. "Nora Stapleton the latest player to wave goodbye after illustrious Irish rugby career". www.the42.ie. 29 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  34. "Nora Stapleton among Ireland women retirements after World Cup". www.bbc.co.uk. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  35. "Fahan's Nora Stapleton on top of world after defeating All-Blacks". inishowenindo.ie. 7 August 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  36. "Nora Stapleton set to earn 50th cap as Tom Tierney names Ireland team to play Wales". www.independent.ie. 25 August 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  37. "Nora Stapleton says there's promising growth for girls in rugby". www.highlandradio.com. 21 May 2016. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  38. "Stapleton Picks Up Women's All Ireland Player's Player of the Year Award". thefrontrowunion.com. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
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