'It's tough' James Lowe praises wife Arnica for taking highs and lows of rugby 'in her stride'

James Lowe has praised his wife Arnica for her unwavering support and for ‘holding down the fort’ at home when he’s away with the Ireland team.

The Leinster wing and his wife welcomed their son last April and James is loving every minute of being a new dad but knows that he wouldn’t be able to have his sporting career without Arnica.

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He is now making the most of the Ireland side’s downtime before their next Six Nations match and decompressing from camp at home with his family.

James Lowe with his son Nico after the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Ireland and Italy. Pic: Sportsfile

Ever since Andy Farrell succeeded Joe Schmidt as head coach in 2019, he has emphasised the importance of families, and the rugby team’s loved ones are often seen on the pitch following games.

Talking about the importance of having their family’s support, James said: ‘It’s a big part of it, getting wives and partners involved because, at the end of the day, they’re the ones who probably cop most of it. Whether you’re having a good or a bad day, they’re a bit of a sounding board.’

James Lowe with his partner Arnica and their son Nico during a Leinster Rugby captain’s run at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Pic: Sportsfile

He continued to RTÉ: ‘My wife is pretty good at it, I’m not going to lie. When we win, they win as well, because they’re holding down the fort at home. It’s tough sometimes. As amazing as rugby is, it still takes away things. It takes you away from family.

‘I got home from France last week and I was so grumpy. My poor wife, man, she bloomin… she took it in her stride, as she always does, and she understands.’

James and Arnica tied the knot after secretly eloping to Las Vegas in 2022. He said of their shock nuptials: ‘It was a lot of fun, stress-free. It was funny, I was laying on my bed 20 minutes before we had to leave, thinking, “Ah s*** I better have a shave”.’

James Lowe and his wife Arnica with their son Nico. Pic: James Lowe / Instagram

James also opened up about being a first-time dad, telling the Irish Daily Mail that he’s loved adapting to life with a young child while still competing internationally.

‘It’s a funny thing to try and juggle becoming a father and still trying to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s of being a professional rugby player. It’s amazing and your priorities change. It’s really cool,’ he said.

James Lowe and wife Arnica. Pic: James Lowe / Instagram

When James arrived back from Marseilles after Ireland’s opening Six Nations win against France, he was fully expecting to switch into dad mode straight away.

‘I got home and he was having his second nap, so I was stoked. But no, it’s awesome,’ he said before adding that Nico is a champ at sleeping from ‘seven til seven’ through the night.

Robbie Henshaw, left, and James Lowe with his son Nico after the match between Ireland and Italy. Pic: Sportsfile

However, James did concede that the first few nights with a newborn are pretty tough, saying ‘it is a baptism of fire’ and that there’s ‘no book that can teach you anything’.

James was named player of the match after Ireland’s game against Italy and he might soon be sharing tips with one of his teammates as Connacht prop Finlay Bealham has just welcomed his first child with his wife. James said the team found out Finlay’s son had arrived after a training session when they saw a ‘photo of bubba’ in the team’s group chat. How sweet!

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