Women should be mindful about endangering their “health and wellbeing” by playing rugby, a Fianna Fáil senator has said.

Terry Leyden claimed that research he read “somewhere” had shown that the sport was not recommended for young women. “I am not a doctor, but it’s very rough,” he said. “It is a bit more physical than soccer or gaelic football. There are inherent risks in too physical sports . . . I’m just saying, be careful. I don’t want to see anyone endangering their health and wellbeing.”

He made the comments to Denis Naughten, the communications minister, in the Seanad last week in a discussion on the move to broadcast Ladies’ All-Ireland football, camogie finals, and Six Nations championships free to air.

Mr Leyden welcomed