Eimer Corri-Fallon makes an impressive return to the Ireland jersey

IT was a proud weekend for Portlaoise RFC with the club well represented on representative teams.

Pride of place has to go to former member Eimear Corri-Fallon who made a return to international rugby.

Eimear was delighted when selected during the week to wear the number five jersey in Ireland’s first Rugby World Cup warm up game against Scotland in Virgin Media Park on Saturday.

Eimear was returning after nearly 12 months out, having struggled with injuries over the past year. Eimear and second row partner, Beibhinn Parsons, also returning from injury both really impressed in the game which Ireland won 7-21.

It was important to make a good impression as these games will be very much to the forefront of Head Coach Scott Bemand’s mind when he comes to selecting his squad for the World Cup which kicks off at the end of this month in England.

In the run up to Saturday’s game Bemand said: “This is the first real opportunity for players to put their hands up for World Cup selection, and that’s brought great intensity to our work in camp. There’s a lot of competition for places, which is exactly what we want heading into a major tournament.” Corri-Fallon is a doctor at Tallaght University Hospital having graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons. She was educated at Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise, before going on to study Sports Science and Health at Dublin City University.

At the other end of the scale three you men started out on their representative careers in Wales at the weekend. Three Portlaoise players were selected on the Leinster U/18 Club side that played Ospreys on Saturday.

Ciarán Dunne was selected in the second row while Dan Whelan lined out on the wing. Eanna Moynihan was part of the panel that come home with a with a 21-38 victory.