IRELAND INTERNATIONAL HOOKER Cliodhna Moloney has joined Exeter Chiefs from Wasps ahead of the 2022/23 season.
The 29-year-old has been a regular in Giselle Mather’s side in recent seasons, firmly establishing herself as one of the best performing front-row forwards within the Allianz Premier 15s.
Moloney has also represented Ireland 31 times, but was not included in this year’s Six Nations squad.
She has not been named in Greg McWilliams’ Ireland squad for the upcoming two-Test series in Japan.
Moloney is one of six new arrivals at the club including England international Claudia MacDonald, Italian international Silvia Turani and USA Eagles star Charli Jacoby. New Zealand back Liv McGoverne and Australia’s Halley Derera are also heading to Sandy Park for the new season.
“It’s going to be really exciting,” said Chiefs head coach Susie Appleby. “There are some unknown names there, who have come through just word of mouth or a little bit of recommendation, but we know they are all quality players.
“Liv hasn’t been capped by the Black Ferns yet, but from the footage I’ve looked at, I’m surprised by that. Halley has been playing in Australia, but I think she’s top try-scorer in their provincial comp; she’s English-qualified and she is a real find for us.
“We then have a few coming back from the World Cup. Charli is proven at this level with Loughborough, but she wanted a change of scenery and comes with an amazing amount of experience and energy.
“Cliodhna coming from Wasps, she’s the dog (in the nicest way possible) that I have been looking for. She is a real workhorse, has an amazing ability to get over the ball, and has great skills.
“Silvia, I don’t know a huge amount about her, but she has expressed a desire, having seen what we have been doing over the last few years, to come and be part of us, which is brilliant. She comes as a well-established Italian international, who covers all across the front-row, so that’s going to be invaluable.
“Finally, Claudia is a world class player. She started in the back-three, so she is super quick, but migrated into playing nine where she’s just electric. As I said, she has real quality and will really add to the group.”
Updated at 15.30 on 21 July – An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Moloney had not played for Ireland since publicly criticising former IRFU director of women’s and 7s rugby Anthony Eddy in November 2021; Moloney played twice for Ireland subsequent to those comments.
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