Lynne Cantwell
Mild mannered London physiotherapist by day.
Bone-crunching athlete, Ireland’s most capped female rugby player, and stalwart at English premier league champions Richmond RFC by weekends (and some evenings).
Ahead of next Saturday’s BROADCAST LIVE triple Crown deciding match against England at Twickenham, we sat down with got Lynne on the phone.
Could she dummy around our quick-fire list of deceptively-banal questions?
With some ease as it turned out.
Aaron “Favourite female player?”
Lynne: “Huriana Manuel, black ferns 13.”
Aaron: “Favourite male rugby player?”
Lynne: “Brian O’Driscoll and Tommy Bowe.”
Aaron: “Toughest opponent ?”
Lynne: “Alison Millar.”
Aaron: “”Most common foul in women’s rugby?”
Lynne: “At the ruck, off their feet.”
Aaron “Biggest sporting disappointment and high?”
Lynne: “High – Grand slam win 2013. Low – losing to the USA in the 1/4 final of 2010 World Cup having beaten them convincingly in pool game.”
Aaron “Three Irish female players to watch.”
Lynne: “Ashleigh Baxter is a star for the future! Claire Molloy, considered an experienced player but still only 23 and Aisling Hutchins affected by injury this year but we haven’t scratched the surface of her potential, yet.”
Aaron: “Best coach?”
Lynne: “Ian Costello.”
Aaron: “Describe Joe Schmidt in one word.”
Lynne: “Sharp.”
Aaron: “Was Warren Gatland correct to drop the other fella that plays No.13?”
Lynne: “Nope!”
Aaron: “Other than rugby, what is your favourite sport to watch?”
Lynne: “Tennis.”
Aaron: “The last book you read?”
Lynne: “Blink.”
Aaron: “Your training regime and diet.”
Lynne: “Depending on time if the year. Early in season usually 1 speed endurance/co dictionary sessions, 1 speed, 1 gym Olympic lifting session, 2 club trainings per week.
In season 1 speed, 2 skills , 1 gym plyo based session per week before sat/sun squad sessions.
Diet- eat good food plenty of times throughout the day.”
Aaron: “Favourite music/movie?”
Lynne: “Hermitage Green and Transformers (2007)
Aaron: “Blur or Oasis?”
Lynne: “Who? What?”
Aaron “Did you win your last argument?”
Lynne: “Yes!”
Aaron: “Are you ready to retire?”
Lynne: “……….”
Lynne Cantwell
You can follow Lynne Cantwell in the Irish Times every Thursday throughout the 6 Nations Championship.
Pic by Inpho via Lynne
