Interview | Siobhan Fleming Reflects On An Incredible Career

Munsterrugby.ie catch up with former Munster Women captain, Ireland international and Tralee RFC’s Siobhan Fleming who recently announced her retirement from the game.

A native of Currow in Co. Kerry, Fleming has enjoyed a remarkable career decorated with provincial and international achievements as well as the fondest of club memories.

Over a decade of representation contributed to five Interprovincial Series titles with Munster, a Six Nations Grand Slam in 2013 and a win over New Zealand at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup lining out for Ireland.

Fleming was also recognised as Women’s Player of the Year at the Munster Rugby Awards in 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Siobhan in training with Ireland.

The 38-year-old back row explained the reasoning behind hanging up her boots at the end of the season and looked back on a memorable career.

“It has been an incredible phase of my life and that has made it harder to reach the decision of retirement, but the time is right for me now.

“I work full-time as a special needs assistant while also farming, have recently qualified as a play therapist and was meant to be getting married to my husband-to-be David Horan in June, so my life has been so busy over the last couple of years.

“Playing with my club Tralee has been and still is my second family but a lot of the girls I played with over the years have also retired.

“My best friend was forced to retire from Tralee earlier this season and when she was gone, I thought it’s definitely time for me to go now.

“Rugby has been so good to me and you have no idea how grateful I am for the opportunities and all it has given me.”

Fleming began playing rugby at the age of 27, making the switch from GAA having previously represented Kerry for a number of seasons.

“I played county football for Kerry at the time and I was struggling with my confidence, I was a real home bird.

“One of the girls from football was going to Tralee rugby club to give it a go and I thought this is my chance, I had always loved watching rugby on TV but I never realised there was a ladies team.

“In my first game I was thinking this is mad, but I stuck with it and after a while something clicked with me and I was just addicted.

“I have been so lucky, it is like everything unfolded for me from there and I started playing with Munster, representing the number seven jersey and loving every moment of it.”

Fleming went on to play for her province, winning Interprovincial Series titles in 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2017.

Munster’s Siobhan Fleming and Fiona Reidy celebrate winning the Women’s Interprovincial Series in 2017.

“I absolutely loved wearing that Munster jersey as I did with all of them and I suppose they all have different symbolism and memories for me.

“Playing with different athletes, different personalities was huge and really important also when forming my own character.

“It was a building block for me as a player but as a person too, I learned so much from the people I was playing with and who I was coached by.

“The Siobhan Fleming that started with Munster and the Siobhan Fleming that finished up with Munster were two very different people when it came to confidence in their own ability and what they had to offer.

“You are also not just an individual, you really are part of something really special.

“My first Munster match was in Belfast and before the game I remember one of the girls saying ‘you go out there and wear that jersey with pride,’ that stuck with me as there was a part of me that was still in Kerry.

“The pride in the jersey, that’s not something that just appears, it is something that is built over time the longer a group is together.

“As more time went on and the more I was cemented into the team, the pride was just oozing out of me.

“When I started, I was very quiet and by the end of it, it was like ‘Siobhan would you ever stop talking,’ and you do end up being very comfortable with your teammates.

Siobhan representing Munster.

“It was a great privilege and honour to be captain but what we did, we did as a team and we only ever really did it together.

“That’s the one thing I love about rugby, it doesn’t matter about your size or your fitness you have to play as a team and you need all of those various skills, all of those various body types, and you have to stay together – it’s for everybody.”

A call-up to the Ireland Women’s squad followed and Fleming settled into an international set-up which would later go down in the history books.

“Initially, when I was selected for the Irish training camps, I was still struggling with confidence and a loneliness towards home.

“I actually ended up having to email ‘Goose’ (Philip Doyle) our coach to say ‘thank you so much for the opportunity but I can’t do this’, which I’m sure sounds crazy to a lot of people but he accepted my position.

“Eventually I found my stride and I knew it was unfinished business and that it was something I had to do, so I found myself in the 2012/13 squad with 2013 being the year of magic.

“It was the year that would go down in history and for me the standout moment was the day we beat England in Ashbourne, that was my first time starting for Ireland wearing the number six jersey.

Siobhan at the 2013 Women’s Six Nations Championship.

“I remember I ran out of my skin and I was so glad to be given the opportunity to wear the jersey and it was a case of you have it now go out and do what you can with it today.

“We went on to win the Grand Slam and there were girls who were trying to get to that moment for years and had worked so hard, the likes of Joy Neville, Fiona Coughlan and Lynne Cantwell.

“I was very lucky to be playing for a couple of years and to fall into such a beautiful set-up, such talent, determination and for it to all come together was brilliant.

“When I came home, the excitement and the celebrations between my family, the neighbours and the locals was just something I will forever remember.”

Siobhan in action for Ireland.

The following year, a significant milestone was recorded at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup in France where Ireland defeated New Zealand 17-14 to top their pool.

“Beating New Zealand, it’s one of those moments that kind of leaves you speechless, it was a great time and I have fantastic memories.

“The variety of outlooks we had within the squad; they all came together on that day.

“Everyone had a piece of that puzzle and it was just the way it came together, everyone had something unique to offer and though it was all in the name of rugby, what we brought was unique to us as individuals and I think that really made us the team that we were.”

Ireland’s Siobhan Fleming v New Zealand.

Fleming went on to reflect on her time with Tralee RFC, where her rugby journey first started and finished up over a decade later.

“Wearing that Tralee jersey at O’Dowd Park was where I felt most at home, it really was my first love and my last when it came to rugby.

“It’s the place where I have been molded, guided and directed the most when it came to becoming a Munster and Ireland player.

“I will forever be indebted to my Tralee coach at the time, Paul McMahon, who really took me under his wing as a player and helped me so much both on and off the pitch.

“He gave me the confidence by saying ‘you can do this girl, go and do it.’

“Coming from a division two club was also huge for me, it just shows it’s not about who you play rugby for but how you play the game and what passion and drive you have to get to where you need to be.

Tralee’s (left) Siobhan Fleming and Riona Kennedy (right) lift the Women’s All Ireland Shield in 2014.

“My manager Dave Condan and Mike Keane played a huge part in my rugby endeavours, we really are a family when it comes to Tralee and I’ll always have that connection with the club as well as best friends for life.

“It’s a great time to leave in one sense because there’s going to be a great set-up going forward, a lovely young team and two fantastic new coaches coming in, so it’s very exciting that rugby in Kerry is only going to get stronger.

“I suppose any word of advice that I could ever give to a club player would be to do what you do for the passion of the jersey.

“Be careful not to get distracted by what the people around you are doing, to stay focused on you and what you as an individual need to do to get the best out of yourself, which as a result will be for the benefit of any team you play with.”

Fleming continued to reflect on the long-lasting effect rugby has had on her life and on those closest to her.

Siobhan with her family James, Joan and David Fleming.

“To be able to provide a little bit of joy and excitement for my family has been fabulous, they used to love going to Ashbourne, the games with Ireland and all of the Munster and Tralee matches.

“Rugby has had a ripple effect on my family’s life as well as my own and it has been such an exciting journey for everyone.

“I’m very proud to have been given the opportunity and delighted that I met so many lovely people along the way who helped me on that journey.”