From facing the possibility of never running again to being handed the Ireland captaincy at just 22, Erin King has experienced a transformative year that has reshaped her perspective on rugby and leadership.
After returning from a year-long knee injury, King was called into head coach Scott Bemand's office. Expecting trouble, she was instead asked to lead Ireland into the Six Nations—a monumental show of faith in a player with only six caps to her name.
"I'm not normally speechless, but I was a little bit speechless in that moment," King recalled. "It was an absolute privilege and honor to be asked to captain such an amazing team. To lead them out is beyond my wildest dreams."
"Rugby became the one constant in my life. Wherever I've lived around the world, I've always been really accepted into rugby clubs, and that's where I made friends."
King's journey to the Women's Six Nations has been anything but conventional. Born in Australia to English parents, she moved frequently during her childhood. Her Irish connection comes from her grandfather, and she eventually settled in Wicklow as she began secondary school. Rugby provided stability amid constant change.
Her path to the national team began through Rugby Sevens, where she competed at the Paris Olympics as a 20-year-old. "It really normalized playing in big stadiums in front of loads of people," she said. "There's a lot of pressure in Sevens—if you make one mistake, it's a try. Getting thrown into the deep end like that was probably a blessing."
That experience served her well as she transitioned to the 15-a-side game following the Paris Games. Bemand handed her a debut in Ireland's win over Australia, and she then scored two tries in a historic victory over New Zealand.
But just six months after her heroics against the Black Ferns—which earned her World Rugby's breakthrough player of the year award—King suffered a knee injury against England in the Six Nations. She played through the pain, only to discover the severity afterward.
"I was heartbroken," she admitted. "Initially, I was warned I might not run again and that I might not play again. Rugby brings me so much joy and purpose—I couldn't imagine life without it. I was really down, and I found that period really tough."
King approached her rehabilitation with characteristic determination, describing laziness as "one of my biggest pet peeves." She committed to 10-hour days in rehab, focusing on controlling everything she could in her recovery.
Almost exactly a year after her injury, she returned to the field—this time as captain—against England in front of 77,000 fans at Allianz Stadium.
"I was really emotional in the week leading up to the game," she said. "It felt a little surreal, and it's given me a newfound gratefulness for playing the sport I love. It can be taken away from you like that."
This perspective now informs her leadership philosophy. "A big part of the way I want to captain this team is the person before the player," King explained. "If you're happy, enjoying yourself, and you feel welcome in your environment, you're going to play better."
She has introduced what she calls an "undercurrent" to help bond the team—a focus on recognizing "all the little moments that add up to create these amazing moments."
"I really like placing emphasis on the little bits and pieces and the unseen work," she said. "Having this never-say-die attitude and chasing lost causes, because you don't know which moment is going to matter and what could create magic."
Looking ahead, King is not short on ambition. "I'm not afraid to say it—I will be disappointed if we don't come top two in the Six Nations," she stated. "It's not a pressure thing; it's more of an expectations thing because I do think this team is capable of so much."
Reflecting on Ireland's narrow loss to France in last year's World Cup quarter-final, King sees reason for optimism. "The fact that we're that disappointed we didn't win a World Cup quarter-final shows how far the team has come," she observed. "I really do think we've bridged that gap between ourselves and the top four in the world."
As she prepares to lead Ireland against France in their third Six Nations fixture, King carries with her not just the captain's armband, but a hard-earned perspective forged through adversity—and a determination to make every moment count.