Leinster vs Ulster

PRESIDENT, LEINSTER RUGBY 2020/22
john walsh welcome
We extend a warm welcome to all
rugby fans joining us for tonight’s
Round 6 fixture of the United
Rugby Championship in what
promises to be a classic “derby”
encounter featuring the current top
two clubs in the competition.
Leinster are undefeated having won their
five fixtures to date for a total of 24 league
points and in the process scoring 162
points and conceding 46 points.
Ulster won their first four games for a total
of 20 league points but that momentum
was halted by Connacht who recorded
a 36 points to 11 points victory over the
Ulster side at the Aviva Stadium in Round
5. Ulster have scored 136 points and
conceded 86 points while both sides have
recorded four try bonus points.
The rivalry between Leinster and Ulster
date’s back to 1895 and has always been
intense. This fixture will mark the 104th
occasion that we have met with Leinster
winning 62 of the encounters and Ulster
with 35 wins and just six draws.
On behalf of Leinster Rugby we welcome
the Ulster management team of Dan
McFarland (Coach), Iain Henderson
(Captain) and the squad to the RDS.
We also look forward to renewing
acquaintance and friendships with Gary
Leslie (President), Philip Gregg (Senior
Vice President), Denis Gardiner (Junior
Vice President, David Dobbin (Honorary
Secretary), Michael Boyd (Honorary
Treasurer). While we may be rivals on
the pitch we continue to work with our
colleagues in Ulster, Connacht and
Munster for the continued development of
the game at all levels on this island and we
share many common goals and objectives.
World Rugby has 128 countries
representing over 10 million players (28%
are Women and Girls) affiliated to the
global organisation which is estimated to
have in excess of 877 million followers.
Promoting our game in it’s various formats
to new audiences in this digital age
and various communication platforms is
essential and I know we in Leinster Rugby
are committed to the task.
Our digital match programmes have
proved to be very successful in promoting
not only the professional game but
also our club and school competitions
throughout our 12 county Province. Under
the guidance of Billy Murphy, Chair of
the Leinster Commercial and Marketing
committee and his dedicated committee
members we are establishing a dedicated
in-house video studio and we welcome
Robert Maguire to his new role as
videographer for what promises to be a
new and exciting development for Leinster
Rugby.
On a recent visit to the UK my attention
was drawn to the Royal Mail’s issuing of a
new set of eight postal stamps celebrating
rugby on these islands. I was delighted
that Ireland’s 37 times capped flying
winger Simon Geoghegan (depicting
him rounding Will Carling to score the
winning try in Irelands 13-12 victory in
1994) and Sophie Spence (winner of the
2013 and 2015 Women’s Six Nations
Championship) featured as representatives
of Irish Rugby.
Congratulations to Leinster’s legendary
Johnny Sexton on achieving his 100th Irish
cap on an unforgettable occasion at the
Aviva in which he played Japan for the first
occasion. What a reception he received
from all present and much to delight of all
he marked the occasion by scoring a try.
The game also marked a milestone for
New Ross RFC’s iconic player Tadhg
Furlong who was making his 50th
appearance for Ireland. It was also an
unforgettable day for Leinster’s Dan
Sheehan in making his debut for Ireland so
congratulations to him and all associated
with his player development pathway from
Bective Rangers and Clongowes Wood.
He becomes the 31st Leinster player in
our current squad to have the distinction of
playing for Ireland.
Irish captain Johnny Sexton and Ireland
Head Coach Andy Farrell recently
acknowledged the positive importance
that spectators play in the performance of
a team and that the absence of full houses
due to the pandemic created unique
challenges for players. Thankfully we are
now looking forward to happier times for
all sports fans and this was very evident
on the occasion of the staging of the 112th
Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Schools
Junior Cup Final staged at Energia Park.
With over 4,500 passionate supporters in
attendance to witness the clash between
Blackrock College and Newbridge
College the occasion served up a game
was described as a classic and the energy
of the event produced a worthy final.
Blackrock College have been serial
winners of both the Leinster Schools
Senior and Junior Cups with a total of
121 victories. Newbridge College have
contributed enormously to Leinster Rugby
and indeed to the various clubs in the
North Midlands Area and have recorded
three victories in the Senior Cup and were
in search of their 3rd Junior Cup having
first won it in 1950.
It was a great thrill for me as President of
Leinster and as a County Kildare native
to present the Junior Cup to Newbridge
College. The coverage of the final by local
papers The Kildare Nationalist and The
Leinster Leader has to be acknowledged
in terms of its quality and content and
serves as a timely reminder to us of the
importance that our local papers play
in our communities and especially in
promoting our various local sporting
organisations.
Club rugby in Leinster is the bedrock
on which we can continue to develop
our sport and I would urge all rugby
supporters to get involved in supporting
your local clubs for the future of Leinster
Rugby.
On behalf of Leinster Rugby I wish all
involved a happy,
healthy and
enjoyable season.
“Keep The Faith”
as the future
belongs to those
who believe in their
dreams (Eleanor
Roosevelt)
JOHN WALSH
President Leinster
Rugby 2020/22
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 5