Leinster vs Munster | Guinness PRO14 Final 2021

More documents

Info

GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL SPOTLIGHT Eimear CONSIDINE WHETHER IT’S INTERNATIONAL RUGBY OR LIVE BROADCASTING, NOBODY GETS PICKED UNLESS THEY’RE GOOD ENOUGH. EVERY TEAM I’VE BEEN ON HAS BEEN SELECTED SOLELY ON MERIT. It was no different when I was part of TG4’s all-female talent on their Round 7 Leinster v Cardiff Blues broadcast for the Guinness PRO14. Yes, it was historic to see an all-female team and we all felt great pride (and pressure!), but every person had proven they were right for the job. Quite rightly, TG4 has picked up a lot of positive attention and hopefully this is a step in the right direction towards a new normal, where fans get opinions, analysis and commentary from people who have the experience to provide the insights – regardless of gender. I can’t imagine what my young teenage self would have made of this. When I look back to that time in Ireland, I can only think 58 of Sonia O’Sullivan competing at the Olympics as a role model for girls. Now, women’s international sports have such a greater platform and aspiring female athletes today have so many stars to look up to. Twenty years ago, there were very few Katie Taylors, Emily Scarratts, Serena Williams or Megan Rapinoes like we have today – people who have become household names. None of this happens overnight. Women’s sport and female athletes have moved out of the shadows and into the same arenas and stadiums as their male counterparts through support from clubs, sports organisations, broadcasters and sponsors. 27|03|21 RDS ARENA | DUBLIN
FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER For those of you from outside Ireland, TG4 are an Irishlanguage station that have been very progressive in their broadcasting of women’s sport and promoting female talent for over 20 years. Their support of Gaelic football has led to record attendances for women’s finals and they have been keen to put strong, capable women on their rugby broadcasts for a number of seasons now. In Ireland, they have certainly been part of the first waves of momentum we see today. An all-female line-up was not about courting publicity. I’ve been involved for three years with TG4 and during that time they have assembled and developed the talent to make it work. Our leading host, Máire Treasa Ní Dubhbgaill is a hugely recognisable face in Irish sports broadcasting and she has been phenomenal at her job for over a decade. Deirbhile Níc Bháird has played in the backs and the forwards, played for Ireland, played Sevens and she has an insight that very few can provide. Jenny Murphy conducted interviews and provided analysis and she has an accomplished rugby CV having won a Grand Slam, played Sevens for Ireland and represented the Baa-Baas. Máire Ní Bhraonáin, who works at Gonzaga College where she gets to see the latest Leinster talent emerge, was our lead commentator and she has already got plenty of Guinness PRO14 games under her belt now. Our team at the RDS was well proven, that’s for sure. Earlier, I mentioned Emily Scarratt, who is the most talented player I’ve ever come across in rugby. When she won the Player of the Tournament award for the Six Nations, the announcement was made in tandem with Antoine Dupont’s win for the male award. Guinness’ decision to sponsor the Womens’ Six Nations has massively helped the profile of women’s rugby in Europe. We see it all the time now, especially with the England national team who play at Twickenham – usually on the same day as the mens’ team. Last year another Irish international, Louise Galvin, and myself were part of eir Sport’s World Cup coverage. I was fortunate to appear in a national TV advert alongside Tommy Bowe, Gordon D’Arcy and Peter Stringer – three icons of Irish rugby, and that again elevated the perception of female athletes. So much so, in fact, that because our training schedule for the national team limited our appearances – an expectancy was created and any time we were not involved, fans were asking about us. All of this visibility and support is making a real difference. My cousin’s daughter, Éowyn, has become obsessed with rugby because she can watch the women’s team play on TV. She can go see Munster and Ireland play live at proper stadiums that make it a great day out for families. Ahead of the men’s World Cup last year the national squad were doing an open training session in each province, but when she arrived at the event in Thomond Park she was distraught because it was the men’s team and not the women’s! That hits home because to her it’s normal to see women playing elite sport, it’s normal to see big crowds attending their games and it’s normal to see female TV analysts. In Ireland we have the 20x20 campaign (#CantSeeCantBe) urging everyone involved in sport to find ways to play their part and it is great to see TG4 being such leaders in this space. We’ve also received great support from our provinces and sponsors but I would challenge everyone to ask what more can they do to raise the profile of women in sport? What other broadcasters and media outlets can follow this path? We’ve proven that if she can see it, she can be it… but we can’t and we won’t stop there. 27|03|21 RDS ARENA | DUBLIN 59
Page 2 and 3:
GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL CEO Martin Ana
Page 5 and 6:
FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER GUINNESS W
Page 7 and 8: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER MUNSTER Ev
Page 9 and 10: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER navigated
Page 11 and 12: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER PLAYED WON
Page 13 and 14: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER 2020/21 ST
Page 15: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER “ THEY
Page 18 and 19: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL Virtual Mascot
Page 20 and 21: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL 20 27|03|21 RD
Page 22 and 23: THANK YOU TO ALL OUR KEY WORKERS
Page 24 and 25: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL LEINSTER RUGBY
Page 27 and 28: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER AGE 22 HEI
Page 31 and 32: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER MOMENT IN
Page 33 and 34: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER MIKE HALEY
Page 35 and 36: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER MOMENT IN
Page 37 and 38: SHOP THE MUNSTER RUGBY NOW EXCLUSIV
Page 41: FINAL LEINSTER V MUNSTER AGE 30 HEI
Page 44 and 45: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL JOHANN VAN GRA
Page 46 and 47: laya healthcare members get more Un
Page 48 and 49: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL “ THERE’S
Page 50 and 51: EVERY FIXTURE EVERY TRY EVERY TACKL
Page 52 and 53: DISCOVER THE SPIRIT WITHIN. LOCH LO
Page 54 and 55: FREE TO JOIN MEMBERSHIP START ENJOY
Page 56 and 57: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL SPOTLIGHT Asht
Page 60 and 61: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL MOMENT IN TIME
Page 62 and 63: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL GUINNESS PRO14
Page 64 and 65: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL SHANE WILLIAMS
Page 66 and 67: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL MOMENT IN TIME
Page 68 and 69: GUINNESS PRO14 FINAL IN CASE OF A T
show all

Leinster vs Munster | Guinness PRO14 Final 2021

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?