Killannin native Tena Thornton has been selected to represent Ireland after being appointed vice-captain of the Ireland Women's Seniors team for the 2026 International Tag Federation (ITF) Tag World Cup in Australia. Tena will travel to Coffs Harbour, approximately 500 kilometres north of Sydney, where the tournament takes place from 15th – 18th October 2026. More than 200 teams from over 30 countries are expected to compete across men's, women's and mixed competitions at multiple age grades. A management accountant from Killannin, Co. Galway, Tena attended St Annin's National School and has a strong local sporting background having played Gaelic football with Killannin GAA Club and basketball with Corrib Basketball Club before progressing to international tag rugby. Her appointment as vice-captain of Ireland's Women's Seniors is recognition not only of her leadership but also of her remarkable contribution to Irish tag rugby. Having represented Ireland for nearly a decade and earned more than 50 international caps, Tena is one of the most experienced players in the Irish setup and will play a key leadership role as the squad heads to Australia.
"I've been fortunate enough to represent my country for nearly 10 years now and have picked up more than 50 caps, but honestly, the feeling never changes. Every time I pull on that jersey, it's still a huge honour and something I never take for granted. We're all really looking forward to heading to Australia in October for the World Cup. It's the pinnacle of our sport, and you want to test yourself against the best in the world” said Tena “We're also incredibly grateful for the support of SMBC Aviation Capital. As an amateur sport, that backing makes a real difference and helps make opportunities like this possible for players across all of our Irish squads. It's going to be a fantastic experience and we're excited for the challenge.”
The ITF Tag World Cup will feature teams from more than 30 nations. Ireland is recognised as one of the world's leading tag rugby nations and is a member of the International Tag Federation alongside Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Other participating nations include France, Vietnam, South Africa, China, Palestine, Italy, Greece, Sri Lanka, Malta, Lebanon, Tonga, Fiji, Tokelau, Samoa and many more. Australia is considered the home of tag rugby, with more than 200,000 participants playing through 140 associations nationwide. Australian teams have dominated international competition and the country has hosted the majority of Tag Rugby World Cups since the tournament began in 2012. The most recent Tag Rugby World Cup was hosted by Ireland in Limerick in August 2023, where Irish teams won medals across eight divisions, highlighting the country's emergence as one of the sport's leading international nations. Despite those achievements, tag rugby remains an amateur and largely self-funded sport. More than 15,000 players participate through the Irish Tag Rugby Association across leagues in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Kildare, with international players balancing elite competition alongside full-time careers and family commitments.
Earlier this year, the Irish Tag Rugby Association announced a partnership with SMBC Aviation Capital, one of the world's leading aircraft leasing companies, to support Ireland's national squads and help raise the profile of the sport. Before travelling to Australia, Ireland will host Great Britain in the annual British & Irish Cup at UCD, Dublin, over the August Bank Holiday weekend on Saturday 1st August and Sunday 2nd August with 45 international test matches taking place across the two days.
