{{Short description|Irish international rugby union player}} {{Expand French|topic=bio|Samantha Monaghan|date=October 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Use British English|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox rugby biography |image= |image_size= |caption= |birthname= |birth_date= {{Birth date and age|df=y|1993|6|25}} |birth_place= New York City, United States |height= {{height|m=1.8}} |weight= {{cvt|89|kg|lb stlb}} |ru_position= Second Row |ru_currentteam = Gloucester-Hartpury |amatteam1= Lewes RFC |amatyears1= –2020 |years1= 2020–2022 |clubs1= Wasps |apps1= |points1=0 |years2= 2022– |clubs2= Gloucester-Hartpury |apps2= |points2=0 |repyears1= 2021– |repteam1= Ireland |repcaps1= 27 |reppoints1= 0 |repupdate= 14 September 2025 }}
'''Samantha Monaghan''' (born 25 June 1993), is an Irish rugby union player who plays second row for Gloucester-Hartpury in Premiership Women's Rugby, as well as the Ireland national team.
== Early life == Monaghan was born in New York City, United States, to Irish parents. She moved to Ireland at the age of 8.<ref name="Meath Chronicle-2023">{{cite web |last1=Geoghegan |first1=Jimmy |title='I never thought I would play rugby for Ireland' |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2023/05/12/i-never-thought-i-would-play-rugby-for-ireland/ |website=Meath Chronicle |access-date=5 October 2024 |date=12 May 2023 |archive-date=1 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401195359/https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2023/05/12/i-never-thought-i-would-play-rugby-for-ireland/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In her youth, she first played Gaelic football and was Irish Under-16 champion with the County Meath team.<ref name="Meath Chronicle-2023-2">{{cite web |last1=Geoghegan |first1=Jimmy |title=Captaincy a new twist in Sam Monaghan's amazing career |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2023/10/02/captaincy-a-new-twist-in-sam-monaghans-amazing-career/ |website=Meath Chronicle |access-date=5 October 2024 |date=2 October 2023 |archive-date=31 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240331085835/https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2023/10/02/captaincy-a-new-twist-in-sam-monaghans-amazing-career/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Rugby career == She later moved to England, near Brighton. She could not find a Gaelic football club there so she tried rugby union at Lewes RFC mainly to make friends and socialize. At the end of her first season, her coaches advised her to take rugby union more seriously.<ref name="Irish Rugby-2021">{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Daire |title=Monaghan: Hard Pill To Swallow, But We'll Come Back Stronger |url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/2021/09/16/monaghan-hard-pill-to-swallow-but-well-come-back-stronger/ |website=Irish Rugby |access-date=5 October 2024 |date=16 September 2021 |archive-date=31 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240331092841/https://www.irishrugby.ie/2021/09/16/monaghan-hard-pill-to-swallow-but-well-come-back-stronger/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The following season, her coaches got her in touch with Wasps Women director of rugby Giselle Mather who offered her a trial, Monaghan then went on to sign for Wasps.<ref name="Irish Rugby-2021" /><ref name="RTE-2024-1">{{cite web |last1=Glennon |first1=Michael |title=Meath's Sam Monaghan on her unlikely road to Test rugby |website=RTÉ.ie |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2021/0916/1247170-meaths-sam-monaghan-on-her-unlikely-road-to-test-rugby/ |access-date=5 October 2024 |language=en |date=16 September 2021}}</ref>
In September 2021, she earned her first cap for Ireland in a World Cup qualifying game against Spain.<ref name="Irish Rugby-2021" /> After a stand out 2022 Six Nations performance, Monaghan signed for Gloucester-Hartpury ahead of the 2022–23 Premier 15s season.<ref name="The 42-2022">{{cite web |last1=Casey |first1=Gavan |title=Six Nations star Sam Monaghan swaps Wasps for Gloucester-Hartpury |url=https://www.the42.ie/sam-monaghan-5826486-Jul2022/ |website=The 42 |access-date=5 October 2024 |language=en |date=26 July 2022 |archive-date=18 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418111248/https://www.the42.ie/sam-monaghan-5826486-Jul2022/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In her first season at Gloucester-Hartpury, she helped lift the league title,<ref name="The Guardian-2023">{{cite web |title=Gloucester-Hartpury win first Premier 15s title with victory over Exeter |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jun/24/gloucester-hartpury-premier-15s-exeter-womens-rugby |website=The Guardian |access-date=5 October 2024 |date=24 June 2023 |archive-date=5 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005010301/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jun/24/gloucester-hartpury-premier-15s-exeter-womens-rugby |url-status=live }}</ref> was named Irish Player of the year,<ref name="Irish Mirror-2022">{{cite web |last1=Scully |first1=Michael |title=Josh van der Flier and Sam Monaghan claim Rugby Players Ireland top awards |url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/josh-van-der-flier-sam-27003134 |website=Irish Mirror |access-date=5 October 2024 |language=en |date=18 May 2022 |archive-date=5 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005010405/https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/rugby-union/josh-van-der-flier-sam-27003134 |url-status=live }}</ref> and signed a contract extension with Gloucester-Hartpury.<ref name="BBC Sport-2023">{{cite web |title=Sam Monaghan and Gwen Crabb: Gloucester-Hartpury locks sign new deals |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66720779 |website=BBC Sport |access-date=5 October 2024 |date=5 September 2023 |archive-date=5 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241005010304/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66720779 |url-status=live }}</ref>
In October 2023, Monaghan was selected for the first WXV 3 tournament, she was co-captain of the team alongside Edel McMahon.<ref name="Meath Chronicle-2023-2" /> Ireland went on to lift the title.<ref name="women.rugby-2023">{{cite web |title=Ireland edge Spain to win WXV 3 title {{!}} Women in Rugby {{!}} women.rugby |url=https://www.women.rugby/news/886138/wxv-3-ireland-spain-recap |website=women.rugby |access-date=5 October 2024 |language=en |date=28 October 2023 |archive-date=29 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329183828/https://www.women.rugby/news/886138/wxv-3-ireland-spain-recap |url-status=live }}</ref>
In January 2024, she fainted in the changing room following a winning match against Saracens, the medical staff diagnosed a concussion that had not been spotted during the game. She then went two months without playing, which she described as very difficult.<ref name="Belfast Telegraph-2024">{{cite web |title=Concussion put me in a dark place, reveals Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/sport/concussion-put-me-in-a-dark-place-reveals-ireland-co-captain-sam-monaghan/a1583910653.html |website=Belfast Telegraph |access-date=5 October 2024 |date=31 March 2024 |archive-date=31 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240331160339/https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sunday-life/sport/concussion-put-me-in-a-dark-place-reveals-ireland-co-captain-sam-monaghan/a1583910653.html |url-status=live }}</ref> She also lifted the league title for the second year In a row, however during the final she suffered a serious knee injury which meant she could not take park in the 2024 WXV.<ref name="rugbypass-2024">{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Martyn |title=Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan ruled out with 'significant knee injury' |url=https://www.rugbypass.com/news/ireland-co-captain-sam-monaghan-ruled-out-with-significant-knee-injury/ |website=rugbypass |access-date=5 October 2024 |language=en |date=1 July 2024 |archive-date=24 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240924184352/https://www.rugbypass.com/news/ireland-co-captain-sam-monaghan-ruled-out-with-significant-knee-injury/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="RTE-2024-2">{{cite web |last1=Treacy |first1=Neil |title=Monaghan ruled out of WXV but Sevens stars return |url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2024/0829/1467285-monaghan-ruled-out-of-wxv-but-sevens-stars-return/ |website=RTE |access-date=5 October 2024 |language=en |date=29 August 2024 |archive-date=5 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240905194909/https://www.rte.ie/sport/rugby/2024/0829/1467285-monaghan-ruled-out-of-wxv-but-sevens-stars-return/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On 11 August 2025, she made the Irish squad to the Rugby World Cup in England.<ref>{{cite web |date=11 August 2025 |title=Wafer and McMahon fit for Ireland World Cup squad |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cqjyyvlpxrpo |access-date=11 August 2025 |website=BBC Sport}}</ref><ref name="Ireland">{{cite web |date=11 August 2025 |title=Ireland's Squad Named For Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 |url=https://www.irishrugby.ie/video/irelands-rugby-world-cup-squad-announcement/ |access-date=11 August 2025 |website=Irish Rugby}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.irishrugby.ie/women/sam-monaghan Irish Player Profile] * [https://www.gloucesterrugby.co.uk/teams/women/player/sam-monaghan Gloucester-Hartpury Player Profile]
{{Gloucester–Hartpury squad}} {{Ireland 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monaghan, Sam}} Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:Ireland women's international rugby union players Category:Irish female rugby union players Category:Rugby union players from New York (state) Category:Gloucester-Hartpury Women players Category:Rugby union locks Category:Rugby union players from New York City Category:21st-century Irish sportswomen