Established four years ago in an effort to formally identify and develop Irish-qualified (IQ) athletes from outside of Ireland, the Dubliner had only been playing the oval ball game for three seasons when she attended an IQ screening day in the summer of 2018.
International head coach Adam Griggs was an interested onlooker and subsequently called up the then 29-year-old Delany to his squad a few months later.
“I probably wouldn’t be where I am today without that IQ system. It brings an access to thousands of young girls and rugby players, who potentially could qualify for the Irish system,” the Sale Sharks player remarked. “It opens up a heap of opportunities. I definitely owe my international career to them.”
Currently employed as a performance nutritionist with English Rugby League outfit Leeds Rhinos, basketball was Delany’s first love when growing up. She won no fewer than 10 All-Ireland titles with south Dublin school Coláiste Íosagáin and also represented her country as an underage international.
She is one of three former basketball exponents in the current Ireland set-up, with both Aoife McDermott and Lindsay Peat having featured prominently in the Women’s Super League over a number of years. With the aforementioned Griggs looking for his side to keep the ball alive as much as possible within games, she feels her past experience on the court can stand to her.
“Our ball handling skills and footwork have definitely been some of those transferable skills from basketball to rugby. I think it’s just that contact game and the technical and tactical element that were the biggest learning curves for us.”
When Delany made her Ireland debut against the USA in November 2018, a fresh faced 16-year-old named Beibhinn Parsons was enjoying a similar introduction to the international limelight.
Both players have gone on to establish themselves as the first-choice wing operators in this Irish side and virtual certainties to star Saturday’s Six Nations Championship clash with France (Energia Park kick-off 2.15pm).
“It has been great to watch Beibhinn grow over the years. She’s been an inspiration to me and watching how she has developed. It has spurred me on, to look at different elements to my game as well,” Delany said. “I like to think we’ve both flourished on the pitch over the last few years.”
