Ireland prop Ellena Perry has announced her retirement from club and international rugby, bringing a short but influential Ireland career to a close in one of the notable updates in sports ireland this week. The 29-year-old loosehead will finish up at the end of Gloucester-Hartpury’s current campaign, ending a run in which she quickly became an important figure for Ireland Women.
Perry linked up with Scott Bemand’s squad ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup and made an immediate impact. Her power in the scrum, high work-rate around the field and calm experience gave Ireland extra steel in the front row at a crucial time. She played a major role in Ireland’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals and produced one of her standout displays in the pool-stage win over Spain, where she was named player of the match.
What Ellena Perry’s retirement means for sports ireland and Ireland Women
During the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, Perry started all five matches at loosehead and crossed for a try against Italy, underlining her value in a demanding campaign for ireland rugby. Although her Ireland career lasted just nine appearances, her contribution was significant because it came during a period of real progress for the national side and growing interest in ireland women sports.
- Joined Ireland ahead of the 2025 Rugby World Cup
- Helped the team reach the quarter-finals
- Started all five games in the 2026 Women’s Six Nations
- Scored a try against Italy
- Finished with nine caps for Ireland
Irish-qualified through her maternal grandfather from Derry, Perry’s story also resonated beyond the pitch. Balancing elite rugby with family life, she became a respected presence within the squad. In her farewell comments, she spoke warmly about the welcome she and her son Bert received in camp and described representing Ireland as a huge source of pride.
For followers of sports ireland, this is a reminder of how much leadership and experience matter in a developing squad. Ireland now move on without a reliable front-row option, so attention will turn to how Bemand reshapes his depth chart before the next run of ireland rugby fixtures and wider ireland sports updates. Perry leaves with real respect, and in sports ireland terms, her impact was greater than her cap tally suggests.
Image Courtesy: Irish Rugby
