Munster captain making up for lost time after two-year injury hell

What a warrior!

Maeve Óg O’Leary has enjoyed a winning start to her tenure as Munster captain for the 2025 Vodafone Interprovincial Championship after a commanding 22-33 victory over current champions Leinster on Saturday.

Munster made it two wins from two when they went away to Energia Park to beat Ben Martin’s team in what was a statement performance from the girls in red.

The experienced Chloe Pearse crossed the line twice before Chisom Ugwueru added to the hat-trick that she scored in the opening game before the half-time break.

This left the scores at 19-10 at the interval, with Leinster’s Vicky Elmes Kinlan running the length of the pitch to score on her debut.

Kate Flannery and Aoife Corey scored the second-half tries for Munster, which were both converted by Catriona Finn, and secured the bonus point.

Leinster captain Molly Boyne and Katie Whelan’s late tries made the score 22-33 at the final whistle, as Munster sit top of the table, adding to their first-round 44-5 victory over Connacht.

Speaking to SportsJOE, O’Leary expressed her delight at the results from the opening two games.

She said: “It’s been a great start to the season for us in Munster; it’s always the way you want to start the season.

“It’s a short game block, I suppose, with four back-to-back games, so hitting the ground running is essential. We’ve had a good summer of training, building and growing and connecting as a squad; to take the first two wins has been really positive.

“Ultimately, we are looking to build on every performance; that is the goal around the Interpros. We have a short window to grow and develop as quickly as we can between matchdays.

“While we are happy with the wins, we have to keep looking forward now to Ulster this weekend and, of course, to the finals weekend back up in Dublin.

“Our focus will turn to that now and preparing and learning from our first two performances and continuing to build the squad.”

The 25-year-old has come back from two knee surgeries to lead the Munster red for this year’s competition.

O’Leary won back-to-back Interpro titles with Munster in 2021 and 2022 before being sidelined with injury.

The Irish international is a welcome return to the Munster backrow, having put in some solid performances for her club Blackrock College towards the end of last season. Her work rate around the breakdown and ball-carrying ability adds to any team that she’s involved with.

O’Leary gave an honest assessment of her difficult journey back to the playing field; she explained: “It’s definitely been quite a journey over the past couple of seasons.

“I think since about 2023 I have had some knee issues, and that has turned into two surgeries over the past year and a half. It’s definitely been slow figuring it out and the return to rugby, but ultimately the goal was just to return to rugby.”

Long-term injuries have a direct effect on your physical health, but maintaining positive mental health can be equally challenging.

She added: “While I was physically dealing with the injuries, you know the mental side of injury is really tough too. I really had to look inward and learn a lot about myself and learn a lot about mental performance, and that has been really enlightening.

“My ultimate goal was to get back to playing and enjoying rugby again, and that’s something, of course, I’ve been able to do and something I’m delighted to be able to do.

“I remind myself before going into big games that there was a time that there was a cloud over me with injuries and whether or not I would return.

“I think the fact that I got to return and play in a Munster jersey is the best feeling. The way the women’s Interpro season falls, it’s a rarity to put on your provincial jersey; you only have that opportunity four times a year with how the competition is structured now.

“The fact that I’m able to be back in a Munster jersey and represent my province while playing alongside brilliant teammates. It’s really really special and I’m just grateful to be back playing rugby and back enjoying rugby again. It’s a brilliant game."

Matt Brown’s Munster travel to Belfast to play Ulster at the Kingspan on Saturday (kick-off, 16.15), aiming to keep their unbeaten record. It’s a huge weekend for Irish Women’s Rugby, with Ireland kicking off their 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign against Japan on Sunday afternoon at Franklin’s Gardens (kick-off, 12.00).

Tipperary native O’Leary, who made her international debut against USA in 2021, is excited to see what Scott Bemand’s team can do throughout the tournament.

She continued: “I think I, along with the whole nation of Ireland, can’t wait to see the girls kick off this weekend at the World Cup. I can’t wait to see how this competition goes for them.

“This squad has been building something special and on an upward trajectory for the last 18 months/two years. It’s going to be really exciting to see how they go.

“They’ve built some incredible performances over the last number of months and years I suppose and I think this is going to be a very exciting time for the squad and for women’s rugby in Ireland.

“The fact that the World Cup is so close to home, there will be so many family, friends, Irish supporters able to make it along; it just makes it all that more special. I can’t wait to see what they can bring and see how they go across the pool stage first and hopefully into those quarter-finals.”