WRWC Countdown: Getting To Know Lynne Cantwell

With just over a week to go to Ireland’s opening game of the Women’s Rugby World Cup we continue to catch up with Munster’s national representatives.

This week we catch up with the Ireland's Women's squad most experienced player, Lynne Cantwell. The 5ft 3" centre has been capped for Ireland 57 times and has recently returned from a year away in New Zealand where she played with the College Rifles team in Auckland.

Previous to heading south Lynne was involved in the 2008/2009 winning Munster Interprovincial side and captained her club, UL Bohemians, to All Ireland glory in the same season.

Getting to know Lynne Cantwell

Name: Lynne Cantwell

Favourite Food: Chicken Korma

Book you are currently reading or have just finished: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

Favourite TV programme: Greys Anatomy now but Quantum Leap is the all time favourite

Favourite Film: Shawshank Redemption or X men (bit of a difference)

Favourite Actor/Actress: Robert De Niro

Most enjoyable holiday location: San Francisco

Marooned on a desert island what could you not be without: Food

Favourite sport other than rugby: Athletics

The sport you least like: Bowls

Person you would most like to meet: Michael Johnson and Rafael Nadal

Sportsperson you admire most: Paul O’Connell and Roger Federar

Hobbies: Training and talking

Where and when did you first play rugby: Started playing rugby in 2000 in UL with the college team under Rohan West. We were a pure football household before that.

Biggest influence on career: Ian Costello was our club coach for the first 3 years which was unreal. Spent 2 years in England playing rugby with Richmond which seriously advanced my understanding of the game. Then recently I spent a year training and playing in New Zealand which gave me a further insight into southern hemisphere rugby, and the flare and excitement of their style of rugby.

Best career advice you were given: Hard work doesn’t guarantee you anything but it lessens the odds of failure.

What you like most/least about being a rugby player: I love the friends I have from rugby and will never lose. I love the strength competitive training and sport gives you in everything you do. I hate my toes being stood on and missing nights out.

Other sports that you played: Athletics, basketball (would you believe), Camogie and swimming.

Best rugby memory: Beating Wales and scoring a try to qualify for the Canada World Cup in 2006. Also, captaining UL Bohs to win the All Ireland for the eight time in 2009.

Rugby Player you admire most: Tana Umaga, Matt Giteau and Anna Richards

Rugby team you admire most: Munster and Crusaders

Sporting event you would most like to attend: Wimbledon Final. And to go back in time and be there for Italia ’90. The Bull run in spain is on the ‘to do’ list.

If you weren’t a rugby player what would you be: I think I'd be a good professional chocolate taster!

Three people you would invite to dinner and why:
Stephen Fry because he’s the most unreal man for facts ever and he’s funny.
David Attenborough because he’s the most interesting person I reckon on the planet.
Lee Evans because I think he could make even the saddest situations funny and he makes me laugh even to look at him.

Ireland Women’s Rugby World Cup Fixtures:
England Women V Ireland Women, Surrey, Friday August 20th, 18:30 (Sky Sports)
USA Women V Ireland Women, Surrey, Tuesday, August 24th, 16:30
Ireland Women V Kazakhstan, Surrey, Saturday, August 28th, 16:30

Related article: Getting to know Louise Beamish