Featured
SHANNON IKAHIHIFO: EXPLORING IRISH ROOTS AND DISCOVERING DISTANT COUSINS
Joe Harvey
Moving to Trailfinders Women has given Shannon Ikahihifo so much more than just the opportunity to play rugby.
Since settling in west London for the inaugural Premiership Women’s Rugby season, the New Zealand-born back-row has thrived on the pitch and re-connected with long lost family off it.
Ikahihifo has led from the front for Trailfinders and her impressive performances in the back-row have opened the door to an opportunity she did not expect.
Through her mother, Darlene, Ikahihifo qualifies to play for Ireland and Scott Bermand and his coaching staff moved quickly to call her up at the earliest opportunity.
Ikahihifo made her Test debut in the Women’s Six Nations and wearing a green jersey allowed the 29-year-old to connect with distant branches of her family tree.
Qualifying thanks to a Kilkenny-born grandmother, who later emigrated to New Zealand with her parents, the loose forward knew little about her heritage before coming to the northern hemisphere.
Aided by the father of fellow Ireland international, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, she has now connected with a cousin on social media and is looking to connect more dots in the future.
“Growing up on the other side of the world, I haven’t had much exposure to my Irish heritage,” Ikahihifo said.
“Playing rugby at an international level is an amazing opportunity, but that connection part is very special.
“When we were in Cork, we sang the two anthems and when Amhrán na bhFiann was on, I was fine. I was worried that I going to get the words wrong, and as soon as Ireland’s Call came out I started bawling my eyes out and couldn’t get a word out.
“It was such a cool experience.”
Another call from Ireland could well be forthcoming for Ikahihifo with WXV 1 in September and less than a year to go until the 2025 Rugby World Cup – but she knows she must retain her Trailfinders form in order to earn it.
Advised by mum Darlene and dad, Puni, to tell Trailfinders Director of Rugby, Giselle Mather, about her heritage, Ikahihifo quickly saw the opportunity to showcase herself arrive.
"Towards Christmas time, girls were starting to talk about the Six Nations and get excited about all of that stuff, getting picked for squads and going into camps," she said.
"I remember talking to my parents and them asking me if I had told Giselle that I was Irish. I was a little bit nervous to do that and they said to do it so I wouldn’t be left wondering.
"After training one night I told her I was half-Irish and if there was any pathway or any way that I could have the opportunity to play.
"It was crazy because the Irish coaches were coming the next night to watch training. I remember my heart stopping when she said that.
"The next evening I met the coaches, had our training and from that point on our analyst sent them some clips of me playing and a couple of months later I was in the squad.
"It was a whirlwind."
Between now and the return of international rugby, Ikahihifo and Trailfinders Women are hoping to end their inaugural Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby season on a high.
With four wins so far in their inaugural Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby season, the London club have impressed.
Possessing star power across the pitch, hopes of a top-five finish have been put on hold after losing out 19-18 to Loughborough Lightning in Round 17.
But, with one more game to come against Harlequins, Ikahihifo is keen to leave a lasting impression on the league moving into the summer.
“We are not the new team on the block anymore,” Ikahihifo said.
“We know what our standards are, we know what our goals are and we have been told ‘it’s your first season, you are doing really well’, but we are not a new team anymore.
“We know what we are capable of and we know where we should be and how our performances should be and what we are delivering.
“There have been glimpses of that magic and showing the potential that we have, but we haven’t put it all together yet.
“We are chasing that now to show what people are going to be getting the following season.
“We are building from that strong foundation, playing that performance and making sure that the standards are high.”
Partners
