Leinster vs Connacht
Leinster | Official Matchday Programme of Leinster Rugby | Issue 05 Leinster vs Connacht | United Rugby Championship Friday 3rd December, 2021 | KO 19:45 | RDS Arena
Leinster | Official Matchday Programme of Leinster Rugby | Issue 05
Leinster vs Connacht | United Rugby Championship
Friday 3rd December, 2021 | KO 19:45 | RDS Arena
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ISSUE 5 | LEINSTER RUGBY OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME<br />
LEINSTER<br />
VS<br />
connacht<br />
FRI 3 rd DEC<br />
RDS ARENA<br />
KO 7.45PM
Newstead Building A,<br />
UCD,<br />
Belfield,<br />
Dublin 4<br />
#LEIVCON<br />
The Line up<br />
Telephone:<br />
012693224<br />
Fax:<br />
012693142<br />
E-mail:<br />
information@leinsterrugby.ie<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie<br />
6<br />
24<br />
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT<br />
President: John Walsh<br />
Chief Executive: Michael Dawson<br />
Honorary Secretary: Stuart Bayley<br />
Honorary Treasurer: Michael McGrail<br />
RUGBY MANAGEMENT<br />
Head Coach: Leo Cullen<br />
Senior Coach: Stuart Lancaster<br />
Head of Rugby Operations:<br />
Guy Easterby<br />
Assistant Coach: Robin McBryde<br />
Backs Coach: Felipe Contepomi<br />
Kicking Coach: Emmet Farrell<br />
Contact Skills Coach: Denis Leamy<br />
14<br />
PROGRAMME CREDITS<br />
Editorial Team: Marcus Ó Buachalla,<br />
Ryan Corry & Paul Cahill<br />
Advertising: Gary Nolan<br />
Design: Julian Tredinnick,<br />
Ignition Sports Media<br />
Photography: Sportsfile<br />
Chief Steward: Sword Security<br />
Ambulance: St. John’s Ambulance<br />
Medilink<br />
Event Control & Safety Services:<br />
Eamonn O’Boyle & Associates<br />
62<br />
86<br />
STAY<br />
CONNECTED<br />
& KEEP<br />
UP-TO-DATE<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 3
PRESIDENT, LEINSTER RUGBY 2020/22<br />
john walsh welcome<br />
We extend a warm <strong>Leinster</strong> welcome<br />
to this evening’s visitors <strong>Connacht</strong><br />
and their fans to the RDS Arena.<br />
Tonight, is the Round 7 fixture of the United<br />
Rugby Championship and the occasion is<br />
also what is referred to in sporting terms as<br />
a ‘local derby’ and as such has additional<br />
spice added to the occasion both for<br />
players and fans alike. It’s also a fixture that<br />
forms part of the historic Irish Interprovincial<br />
Championship which dates back to 1946.<br />
Current champions <strong>Leinster</strong> will be fully<br />
aware as to the challenges that <strong>Connacht</strong><br />
present at home or away. The Sportsground<br />
in Galway can be a challenging place<br />
for visiting teams to play their ‘A’ game<br />
and on many occasions even Plan B does<br />
not bring the desired results as the men in<br />
green respond to the vocal support of their<br />
passionate followers.<br />
We in <strong>Leinster</strong> don’t have fond memories<br />
of the last occasion that <strong>Connacht</strong> visited<br />
the RDS in January as they were deserving<br />
winners by 35-24 to end a <strong>Leinster</strong> winning<br />
streak of 26 games in the league and the<br />
first time that <strong>Leinster</strong> tasted the bitterness of<br />
a home defeat to an Irish side in over five<br />
years. One of my acquaintances with strong<br />
connections to the west of Ireland described<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong>’s performance as similar to that<br />
of a New York stray dog who had come<br />
across a street full of fire hydrants and<br />
performed accordingly!<br />
An Ulster side also experienced a 36-11<br />
crushing defeat by <strong>Connacht</strong> at the Aviva<br />
Stadium in Round 5 of this season’s United<br />
Rugby Championship so we have all been<br />
warned ahead of their visit this evening!<br />
On behalf of the <strong>Leinster</strong> Management<br />
and Executive Committee we welcome our<br />
counterparts from <strong>Connacht</strong> led by Ann<br />
Heneghan (President), Willie Ruane (CEO)<br />
and of course Head Coach Andy Friend,<br />
club captain Jarrad Butler and matchday<br />
captain Jack Carty.<br />
While we may be rivals on the pitch we<br />
continue to work with our colleagues in<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong>, Munster and Ulster for the<br />
continued development of the game at<br />
all levels on this island and we share<br />
many common goals and objectives and<br />
long may that be so. For Irish Rugby to<br />
prosper we need all our provincial teams to<br />
continue to develop and to have a strong<br />
presence in our European competitions.<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> arrive at the RDS high on<br />
confidence following impressive consecutive<br />
victories over Ulster and Ospreys (scoring<br />
seven tries) and having just lost out to<br />
Munster by a 20-18 score line.<br />
Tonight’s fixture will be the 38th clash<br />
between us in the professional era with<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> recording 28 victories to nine<br />
victories to <strong>Connacht</strong>. As we discovered<br />
with last weekend’s loss at the RDS to Ulster<br />
(their first win over <strong>Leinster</strong> in eight seasons)<br />
‘local derbies’ can be decided by the side<br />
who has the heart and determination to dig<br />
deep to get the result.<br />
Let’s hope that tonight’s game will keep<br />
all our supporters entertained by a quality<br />
performance by both sides as we head into<br />
our Heineken Champions Cup fixtures.<br />
The recent passing of former Irish Rugby<br />
captain Ray McLoughlin will be mourned<br />
throughout the world of rugby and we<br />
extend our condolences to his family<br />
members on their loss.<br />
The native of Ballinasloe was an iconic<br />
player and one of the greatest props<br />
produced by Ireland. Just like the granite<br />
rock of the west he was tough and durable<br />
and represented Ireland on 40 occasions<br />
from 1962 to 1975, which was a record for<br />
a prop forward. For his beloved <strong>Connacht</strong><br />
he made 34 appearances and was the first<br />
member of the province to play test rugby<br />
for the British and Irish Lions. He toured<br />
Australia and New Zealand with the Lions<br />
in 1966 and 1971 winning three Test caps.<br />
Passionate about the game he played club<br />
rugby in Ireland with UCD and Blackrock<br />
College and when his business career took<br />
him to the UK he played with Gosforth<br />
in Newcastle and also with London Irish.<br />
He was the most generous of individuals<br />
in giving freely of his time to support so<br />
many rugby clubs throughout Ireland with<br />
fundraising events and his memory will be<br />
forever cherished by all who had the good<br />
fortune to meet him.<br />
May he rest in peace.<br />
Covid-19 is very much back in the spotlight<br />
at the moment and the men’s Barbarians<br />
fixture had to be cancelled just before<br />
kick-off due to positive Covid results in the<br />
squad. As a result the Barbarian women’s<br />
game was slotted into the live schedule<br />
by the BBC and served up a tremendous<br />
thrilling, spectacle of rugby for viewers with<br />
the Barbarians winning 65-5 in front of a<br />
record attendance for a women’s game of<br />
29,582. Our five Irish representatives got<br />
good game time to enjoy the occasion and<br />
it was fitting that Ciara Griffin and Lindsay<br />
Peat scored tries to bring the curtain down<br />
on their illustrious rugby careers.<br />
It is a pity that Rob Kearney could not bring<br />
the curtain down on his own career in a<br />
similar fashion and a pity that promising<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> lock Jack Dunne couldn’t pull on<br />
the famous black and white jersey also.<br />
Jack will get another chance I am sure<br />
but a pity for Rob. It won’t take away<br />
anything from what he achieved during an<br />
illustrious career and we wish him well in<br />
his retirement.<br />
The Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Schools<br />
draw takes place next week as does<br />
the draw for the D’Arcy Cup, one of the<br />
most prestigious club cup competitions in<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong>, and while the shadow of Covid<br />
does loom large, it’s great to see excitement<br />
back as clubs and schools take to the fields<br />
again and enjoy sport and extra-curricular<br />
activities.<br />
Best of luck to all those involved in those<br />
competitions and indeed best of luck to all<br />
the girls who are playing in the plate and<br />
cup finals in IT Carlow in a few weeks’ time<br />
for the Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Girls<br />
Cup Finals day. It should be a brilliant day<br />
of action and it will be interesting to see if<br />
anyone can repeat Wicklow RFC’s heroics<br />
last time out when they took home three<br />
trophies.<br />
Back to the RDS Arena this evening, I hope<br />
you all enjoy the game and continue to<br />
play your part in keeping each other and<br />
us all safe and continue<br />
to wear your face<br />
masks and<br />
observe all<br />
the relevant<br />
guidelines that<br />
are in place.<br />
Enjoy the game<br />
and stay safe,<br />
JOHN WALSH<br />
President <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
Rugby 2020/22<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 5
Leo Cullen<br />
head Coach Welcome<br />
Good evening and welcome to the RDS Arena for<br />
tonight’s game against <strong>Connacht</strong> Rugby.<br />
It’s probably no harm that we<br />
haven’t had to wait too long for<br />
this one to come around, after<br />
the disappointment of last week’s<br />
loss to Ulster. On the other hand,<br />
we’re fully aware that Andy<br />
Friend’s excellent team won’t<br />
make it easy for us. We learned<br />
that the hard way last season!<br />
It was thrilling to have such a big crowd<br />
behind us last week – it was hugely<br />
appreciated too, as we know there’s a lot<br />
of competition for your time and attention.<br />
We’re going to need all the support we<br />
can get over the next two months with a<br />
It continues to be a challenging<br />
time for all our sponsors and once<br />
again I’d like to say how much we<br />
appreciate the backing they all give<br />
us, in particular Bank of Ireland.<br />
really challenging and exciting block of<br />
games coming up.<br />
Unfortunately, the past week has seen<br />
lots of uncertainty in the United Rugby<br />
Championship. We send our best wishes<br />
to Munster, and Cardiff for that matter,<br />
and hope they all manage to get home<br />
safely from South Africa.<br />
These are still tough times and it looks<br />
like the virus will be with us in one form<br />
or another for a while yet. On which<br />
note, we were delighted to welcome Irish<br />
clean air specialist Novaerus on board<br />
as a new commercial partner recently, as<br />
we look to make our building as Covidsafe<br />
as possible. It continues to be a<br />
challenging time for all our sponsors and<br />
once again I’d like to say how much we<br />
appreciate the backing they all give us,<br />
in particular Bank of Ireland.<br />
With <strong>Connacht</strong> in town this evening, I’d<br />
like to take this opportunity to express<br />
our sincere condolences on the recent<br />
passing of the former <strong>Connacht</strong>, Ireland<br />
and Lions great, Ray McLoughlin.<br />
Ray was also a Blackrock College<br />
legend and everyone at the club<br />
is immensely proud of all his<br />
achievements and the legacy<br />
he leaves behind. He had<br />
an amazing career, not just<br />
in rugby but in business<br />
too, and he will be sadly<br />
missed. Our thoughts are<br />
with Ray’s family.<br />
Good luck to all clubs and schools in the<br />
Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby draws<br />
which take place next week. It’s brilliant<br />
to see so much rugby going on at all<br />
different levels around the province.<br />
The volunteer structure is still so important<br />
to the development of our game,<br />
which simply wouldn’t be where it is<br />
today without the positive energy and<br />
enthusiasm of so many coaches, players,<br />
parents, helpers, kit washers, unofficial<br />
bus drivers, you name it! Thanks to all<br />
volunteers for helping to create rugby<br />
bonds that last a lifetime.<br />
Next week, our Heineken Champions<br />
Cup campaign gets up and running<br />
against Bath over at the Aviva Stadium.<br />
We’re hopeful of having a nice big<br />
crowd as we try and progress a little<br />
further than we managed last season.<br />
Tickets are still available if you’re up<br />
for it! For now though, enjoy this<br />
evening’s game and thanks once<br />
again for your loyal support.<br />
We hope to see as many<br />
of you as possible as we<br />
face the many twists and<br />
turns between now and<br />
the end of the season.<br />
Leo.<br />
Thanks,<br />
6 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 7
Joann<br />
Hosey<br />
PROVINCIAL DIRECTOR<br />
BANK OF IRELAND DUBLIN<br />
Welcome to<br />
Friday night<br />
rugby at the<br />
RDS Arena for<br />
the first time<br />
this season,<br />
as we welcome<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong><br />
Rugby for<br />
our second<br />
consecutive<br />
interpro<br />
clash.<br />
The interprovincial matches are<br />
the foundation of the professional<br />
game in Ireland, providing an<br />
energy and excitement that we<br />
witnessed in abundance last<br />
weekend as Ulster came down<br />
the M1 to claim a famous victory.<br />
This evening’s game is the second of<br />
three home games in a row for Leo<br />
Cullen’s side, with a trip across the<br />
road to the Aviva Stadium coming up<br />
next week against Bath Rugby in the<br />
Heineken Champions Cup.<br />
What a brilliant three weeks to savour<br />
with the <strong>Leinster</strong> fans in full voice –<br />
occasions that we all had to wait a<br />
long time for and are now intent on<br />
enjoying all the more. We are not out of<br />
the woods yet though, and we must all<br />
continue to do our bit on match day to<br />
keep the experience as safe as possible<br />
for everyone attending.<br />
While a lot of focus next week will be<br />
on the build up to the Bath game we<br />
are delighted to say that we will also be<br />
hosting the draws for the Bank of Ireland<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Schools Cup, followed<br />
by the club rugby draws. The opening<br />
months of 2022 are nearly upon us, so<br />
it’s great that we can look forward to<br />
these competitions taking place again,<br />
especially after the successful return of<br />
the Junior Cup competitions over the last<br />
few months.<br />
In addition, the Bank of Ireland Provincial<br />
Towns Cup will be officially launched<br />
over the coming weeks and we are also<br />
looking forward to celebrating some of<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby’s representative sides,<br />
not least the Women’s Team when we<br />
formally present them with their debut<br />
caps and their <strong>Leinster</strong> jerseys. Special<br />
days and great to have them back again.<br />
Until then, enjoy the game this evening.<br />
As a proud supporter of all four<br />
provinces Bank of Ireland must retain its<br />
neutrality at all times – so may the best<br />
team win this evening!<br />
JH<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 9
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Did you<br />
know?<br />
• <strong>Leinster</strong>’s six game<br />
winning run in the United<br />
Rugby Championship came<br />
to an end with their 10-<br />
20 reversal at home to<br />
Ulster on Saturday.<br />
• The <strong>Leinster</strong>men have<br />
never lost successive<br />
matches at the RDS Arena.<br />
• <strong>Connacht</strong> have won<br />
successive championship<br />
matches with maximum<br />
points since their 18-20<br />
loss away to Munster on<br />
16 October.<br />
• <strong>Connacht</strong>’s most recent<br />
away win came on a<br />
trip to Munster in the<br />
Rainbow Cup in May.<br />
• <strong>Leinster</strong>’s only loss in<br />
their last six fixtures<br />
against <strong>Connacht</strong> was<br />
24-35 on <strong>Connacht</strong>’s last<br />
visit to the RDS Arena on<br />
2 January 2021. This was<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong>’s first victory<br />
on <strong>Leinster</strong> soil since<br />
September 2002.<br />
COMPARISON<br />
Overall URC head-to-head record:<br />
Played 38, <strong>Leinster</strong> won 28, <strong>Connacht</strong> won 10.<br />
Last 3 URC results:<br />
16 Oct - Scarlets (H) W 50-15 16 Oct - Munster (A) L 18-20<br />
22 Oct - Glasgow (A) W 31-15 23 Oct - Ulster (H) W 36-11<br />
27 Nov - Ulster (H) L 10-20 26 Nov - Ospreys (H) W 46-18<br />
URC 2021/22<br />
1st - W5 D0 L1 - 24PTS<br />
WWWWWL (24pts)<br />
URC form<br />
6th - W3 D0 L3 - 16PTS<br />
LWLLWW (16pts)<br />
Top try scorer<br />
3 - Ronan Kelleher, Adam Byrne, Dan Sheehan 5 - Mack Hansen<br />
Top points scorer<br />
31 - Ross Byrne 65 - Jack Carty<br />
Date Venue L C <strong>Leinster</strong> scorers <strong>Connacht</strong> scorers<br />
Sat 29 Sep 18 Sportsground 20 3 Sean Cronin(T) Garry Ringrose(T) Johnny<br />
Sexton(2C/2P)<br />
Sat 22 Dec 18 RDS Arena 33 29 Ross Byrne(4C) Andrew Porter(T) Mick<br />
Kearney(T) Sean Cronin(T) Dan Leavy(T)<br />
Conor O'Brien(T)<br />
Fri 8 Nov 19 Sportsground 42 11 James Lowe(T) Ross Byrne(T/6C) Andrew<br />
Porter(2T) Ronan Kelleher(2T)<br />
Sat 4 Jan 20 RDS Arena 54 7 Max Deegan(2T) Ciaran Frawley(T/6C)<br />
Harry Byrne(C) Joe Tomane(T) Dave<br />
Kearney(T) Garry Ringrose(2T) Luke<br />
McGrath(T)<br />
Sat 2 Jan 21 RDS Arena 24 35 Scott Penny(T) David Hawkshaw(C) Ryan<br />
Baird(T) Ed Byrne(T) Luke McGrath(T) Jimmy<br />
O'Brien(C)<br />
Sat 8 May 21 Sportsground (RC) 50 21 Ross Byrne(5C) Andrew Porter(T) James<br />
Tracy(T) Scott Fardy(T) Cian Kelleher(T) Ross<br />
Molony(T) Hugo Keenan(3T)<br />
Jack Carty(P)<br />
Caolin Blade(T) Jack Carty(T/3C/P) Cian<br />
Kelleher(T) Darragh Leader(T)<br />
Jack Carty(P) Stephen Fitzgerald(T) Darragh<br />
Leader(P)<br />
Conor Fitzgerald(C) Tom McCartney(T)<br />
Tom Daly(T) Jack Carty(2T/3C/3P) Alex<br />
Wootton(T)<br />
Caolin Blade(T) Peter Sullivan(T) Conor<br />
Fitzgerald(C/3P)<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 13
14 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
caelan<br />
doris<br />
the big interview<br />
BY RYAN CORRY<br />
Autumn Nations<br />
Player of the Series<br />
- Caelan Doris.<br />
It has a nice ring<br />
to it. And why<br />
wouldn’t it?<br />
The back row was<br />
a standout for<br />
Ireland during<br />
a November<br />
window in<br />
which they went<br />
100 per cent<br />
with victories<br />
over Japan, the<br />
All Blacks and<br />
Argentina.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 15
The Mayo man saw off<br />
competition from France’s Antoine<br />
Dupont and Romain Ntamack,<br />
South Africa’s Eben Etzebeth<br />
and England’s Marcus Smith<br />
and Freddie Steward, claiming<br />
26 per cent of the public vote<br />
to be named as the star of the<br />
international window.<br />
Doris started in the pack in all three<br />
games for Ireland, scoring two tries –<br />
one each against New Zealand and<br />
Argentina – and picked up the player of<br />
the match gong in that 29-20 win over<br />
the then World Number 1 All Blacks<br />
who have since been replaced by world<br />
champions South Africa.<br />
He was equally impressive in defence,<br />
making 35 tackles across the three<br />
games and 36 carries – more than any<br />
other player – while he also hit a jointhigh<br />
99 rucks as his relentless engine<br />
drove Ireland forward.<br />
With just 12 international caps to his<br />
name, Doris is looking increasingly<br />
comfortable at Test level, and, by his<br />
own account, is enjoying his rugby<br />
more and more with every passing<br />
week while the squad as a whole is<br />
16 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
enefiting from every camp together<br />
under Andy Farrell.<br />
“A big part of it is just time together<br />
and getting that cohesion. There’s not<br />
too much new stuff we’re doing, it’s<br />
just a case of everyone getting used<br />
to the system, we’re getting better at<br />
anticipating what’s coming, the lines<br />
we’re running, our set-piece, lots of small<br />
things. It’s just becoming more instinctual,<br />
there were no big changes,” Doris says of<br />
the November success.<br />
“It’s kind of the competition that drives<br />
you a fair bit. We have that in <strong>Leinster</strong> as<br />
well, the back row particularly is a highlycontested<br />
area. In <strong>Leinster</strong>, we have six or<br />
seven international back rows. And that<br />
is heightened more in international camp<br />
so you’re used to that competition and<br />
then you just keep putting your best foot<br />
forward.<br />
“You need to stay prepared as well as<br />
possible and take the opportunities that<br />
come along in training and that’ll give<br />
you the best chance of getting picked. I’m<br />
just enjoying it a lot, enjoying the camp<br />
and the atmosphere. Even pre-Ireland<br />
camp when we were with <strong>Leinster</strong>, I was<br />
loving that as well, it’s just good to be<br />
I think it gives you a bit more<br />
perspective when you’ve had a long<br />
break, taken a step back. You’re<br />
much more grateful for it and<br />
realise that this is a dream job<br />
and how lucky we are to do what we<br />
do for a living.<br />
back really. I think that enjoyment has<br />
played into some of my performances,”<br />
he adds.<br />
“Good to be back”, he says in reference<br />
to the turbulent and, at times, concerning<br />
start he had to the 2021 calendar year.<br />
Midway through the 2020/21<br />
campaign, Doris was advised on medical<br />
grounds to stand down from playing and<br />
contact training as a result of a head<br />
injury.<br />
He was able to return for the summer<br />
internationals against USA and Japan<br />
and since then, hasn’t looked back,<br />
returning to his formidable best in both<br />
blue and green since the season has<br />
returned in late September.<br />
“It was a really disappointing start to the<br />
year, having to make the call to step<br />
away, being advised to step back from<br />
playing, not knowing how long I was<br />
going to be out for and all the uncertainty<br />
around it,” Doris states.<br />
“Sitting and watching everything going<br />
on and wishing that I was there but it<br />
was great being back for the summer<br />
series and then November as well with<br />
full crowds, proper atmosphere in a full<br />
Aviva, family and friends there too, for<br />
the first time since pre-Covid.<br />
“I think it gives you a bit more perspective<br />
when you’ve had a long break, taken a<br />
step back. You’re much more grateful for<br />
it and realise that this is a dream job and<br />
how lucky we are to do what we do for a<br />
living. That definitely adds into it all and<br />
the enjoyment.”<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 17
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And what a relief it is to see him back<br />
in dominant form. After that three-game<br />
showing in November, Doris was<br />
afforded some time off last week, opting<br />
to take in some of the round ball on the<br />
continent alongside teammates James<br />
Lowe, Dan Sheehan and Hugo Keenan.<br />
While he admits he isn’t a follower of<br />
the sport, he was in awe of Barcelona’s<br />
Camp Nou despite the less than<br />
appealing weather that met them in the<br />
north-east of the Iberian Peninsula.<br />
On the night, the Catalonians drew<br />
0-0 with Benfica in the Champions<br />
League as rain teemed down on the<br />
50,000 spectators spread around the<br />
99,500-capacity stadium.<br />
Unfortunately, the scoreless contest<br />
didn’t capture the imagination of Doris,<br />
attending his first football match.<br />
“It was lashing rain so we didn’t pick the<br />
best day. Proper torrential rain. There was<br />
only about a 60 per cent full stadium so<br />
it was pretty empty and we were able<br />
to make our way down to some good<br />
seats. It wasn’t the best game though,”<br />
he laughs.<br />
“It was a completely random choice. We<br />
were looking for something with a bit of<br />
sun and were thinking Marbella where<br />
we hadn’t been but we ended up going<br />
with the trusty Barcelona where we’d all<br />
been before. It was good craic.<br />
“We didn’t go specifically for the match.<br />
We only found out they were playing<br />
as we were arriving, so the game was a<br />
last-minute thing. I wouldn’t follow football<br />
at all. It’s actually the first game that I’ve<br />
been to. First football game. It’s some<br />
stadium, it’s huge.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 19
“After that, I was down in Cork for a<br />
couple of nights with the missus so a bit of<br />
a contrast between those two trips but it<br />
was good to get the time off.”<br />
So, now for the back rower, it’s back into<br />
the fold ahead of tonight’s clash against<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> with the full squad seeking a<br />
response to last Saturday’s first defeat of<br />
the season, a 20-10 URC loss to Ulster.<br />
As usual, the Monday morning review<br />
will have taken place in <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby<br />
HQ in UCD before that game is forgotten<br />
and attention turns fully to preparation for<br />
our western neighbours visiting Dublin 4<br />
tonight.<br />
One thing Doris emphasises is the desire<br />
among the squad to put performances<br />
together for the supporters, now more<br />
than ever, after having to go so long<br />
playing in the silence of empty stadiums<br />
during the last two years.<br />
“It wasn’t our best performance at all.<br />
It’s never easy against Ulster and we’ve<br />
gone well against them the last few times<br />
so they maybe had that chip on their<br />
shoulder moreso than us. But, it’s never<br />
nice losing in the RDS, especially having<br />
the fans back and wanting to put on a<br />
performance for them,” he explains.<br />
“The review was a long enough one.<br />
There was a fair few fix-ups. A lot around<br />
our breakdown needing to be better,<br />
defensively our line speed wasn’t good<br />
enough and then a few other smaller<br />
fix-ups.<br />
20 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
I think it’s<br />
fairly wellknown<br />
where<br />
I’m from that<br />
I’m <strong>Leinster</strong> and<br />
I think I even<br />
have a few of<br />
the neighbours<br />
converted so I<br />
won’t get too<br />
much heat, there<br />
won’t be many<br />
messages.<br />
“The whole week is so important,<br />
especially with guys coming back in<br />
from camp and making that switch,<br />
getting back into the <strong>Leinster</strong> system, the<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> language, getting through all<br />
that work early in the week so you can<br />
mentally prep and focus on the most<br />
important areas like your contacts and<br />
the physicality and that stuff. That’s going<br />
to be a big focus for this week.<br />
“You never want to lose. You’d rather<br />
learn your lessons through winning but<br />
sometimes you need that reality check<br />
maybe and it’s come at the start of a big<br />
block of games with Europe and more<br />
interprovincials. I suppose you’d rather<br />
learn that lesson at the start of it than in<br />
Europe or a later interpro.”<br />
While he is originally from Lacken,<br />
close to Ballina in County Mayo, Doris<br />
says that friends and neighbours at<br />
home know that he’s always been<br />
firmly <strong>Leinster</strong>, aided by both parents<br />
being from Dublin and his schooling in<br />
Blackrock College, so there won’t be too<br />
much noise made as he comes up against<br />
his native province tonight.<br />
Texts will be limited while there might<br />
even be a bit of support in Lacken tilted<br />
towards the blue side of the battle<br />
because of the hometown interest.<br />
“I think it’s fairly well-known where I’m<br />
from that I’m <strong>Leinster</strong> and I think I even<br />
have a few of the neighbours converted<br />
so I won’t get too much heat, there won’t<br />
be many messages,” he says wryly.<br />
“<strong>Connacht</strong> are in good form. They’ve had<br />
two very impressive wins, and impressive<br />
performances too. They’re playing really<br />
good rugby and have attacking threats<br />
in the back-line and throughout the pack.<br />
I’m looking forward to seeing a filled RDS<br />
and a good atmosphere on the night.<br />
And then we can put on a show that we<br />
can be proud of.<br />
“Between the interpros and the European<br />
games, this month defines the season<br />
really, how these games go. But at the<br />
same time, it’s massively exciting, playing<br />
the biggest games. I think as long as<br />
we’ve prepared as best we can, we can<br />
enjoy it come gameday.”<br />
For Doris and Co in the dressing room,<br />
staff and supporters, that defining period<br />
starts tonight at 7.45pm in the RDS Arena.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 21
Action<br />
replay 10 20<br />
LEINSTER:<br />
Jimmy O’Brien; Adam Byrne, Robbie<br />
Henshaw, Ciarán Frawley, Jordan<br />
Larmour (Tommy O’Brien 70); Ross Byrne<br />
(Harry Byrne 64); Luke McGrath (Nick<br />
McCarthy 64); Ed Byrne (Peter Dooley<br />
51), James Tracy (Seán Cronin 51),<br />
Tadhg Furlong (Vakh Abdaladze 68);<br />
Ross Molony, Devin Toner; Dan Leavy<br />
(Max Deegan 20), Scott Penny, Rhys<br />
Ruddock (Will Connors 59).<br />
SCORERS:<br />
Try: Robbie Henshaw.<br />
Con: Ross Byrne.<br />
Pen: Ross Byrne.<br />
SAT 27 NOVEMBER<br />
RDS ARENA<br />
ATTENDANCE: 14,625<br />
UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP<br />
ULSTER:<br />
Michael Lowry (Rob Lyttle 51); Craig<br />
Gilroy, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey,<br />
Ethan McIlroy; Billy Burns, John Cooney<br />
(Nathan Doak 59); Andrew Warwick<br />
(Eric O’Sullivan 45), Rob Herring, Marty<br />
Moore (Ross Kane 70); Alan O’Connor,<br />
Sam Carter (Mick Kearney 46); Greg<br />
Jones (Marcus Rea 20), Nick Timoney,<br />
David McCann.<br />
SCORERS:<br />
Tries: Greg Jones, James Hume.<br />
Cons: John Cooney, Nathan Doak.<br />
Pens: John Cooney, Nathan Doak.<br />
22 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Ulster started<br />
the game much<br />
better than we<br />
did, right from<br />
the kick-off<br />
had us trapped<br />
in our own end.<br />
We defended too<br />
much and didn’t<br />
exit too well. We<br />
had some chances<br />
but didn’t nail<br />
our execution<br />
around set-piece.<br />
Leo Cullen reflects on a first<br />
defeat of the season<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 23
Club in focus:<br />
CYM RFC<br />
Although CYM Rugby Club, Terenure, has almost<br />
100 years of history, the 2012/13 season may<br />
well be the most significant season since its<br />
foundation in 1924. That year CYM Rugby Club<br />
established its women’s section.<br />
The first season for CYM’s<br />
women’s team was an exciting<br />
one for all involved, the vast<br />
majority of whom were playing<br />
rugby for the first time. Having<br />
been somewhat duped by the<br />
promise that rugby was “Tag plus<br />
10%”, new players flocked to<br />
CYM, but soon realised that rugby<br />
was much more than that.<br />
RFC’S Women’s Squad pictured with coaches Richard Cowman and Tom Hynes.<br />
Obviously, it was more physical than tag<br />
rugby, that goes without saying, but it<br />
was the camaraderie, the social side, the<br />
joy of winning, even the pain of losing,<br />
that far outstripped non-contact sports or<br />
the monotony of gym or individual fitness.<br />
Indeed, the same could be said when<br />
compared to other team sports.<br />
The club’s development over their<br />
opening few seasons was highlighted<br />
when the team won the <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
Division 2 League final in 2017 having<br />
progressed from Division 4 over the<br />
previous few years. They clinched the win<br />
over opponents Tullow RFC in front of a<br />
large crowd of supporters in Donnybrook<br />
with a late try in extra-time.<br />
Since then, CYM have firmly established<br />
their position in <strong>Leinster</strong> Division 1 with<br />
some excellent victories over the seasons.<br />
Their consistency has been rewarded<br />
at a provincial level when former CYM<br />
captain and current player, Rachel<br />
Horan, was first player in the history of<br />
the club’s women’s section to get selected<br />
for <strong>Leinster</strong> and win her first cap versus<br />
Ulster in 2017.<br />
Former CYM player Hannah O’Connor,<br />
who first started playing rugby with CYM,<br />
made her provincial debut in 2018 and<br />
has since gone on to represent Ireland,<br />
winning her seventh cap in the recent<br />
victory over Japan at the RDS.<br />
Rachel, who plays back row, has<br />
maintained her place in the <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
squad since her debut season, and this<br />
season she was joined by CYM clubmate<br />
and centre Grace Tutty.<br />
Travelling supporters will be delighted<br />
to know that this season CYM also had<br />
their first <strong>Connacht</strong> representative. Scrum<br />
half, and Mayo native, Noreen Cassidy<br />
joined up with the squad ahead of the<br />
Interprovincial Series. Noreen, who has<br />
also represented Ireland in Lacrosse,<br />
made three appearances for the province<br />
this season.<br />
As well as winning Division 2, 2017 also<br />
saw the establishment of a second team<br />
in CYM who operated in Division 4.<br />
Crucially having the seconds team has<br />
allowed the coaches to develop players<br />
who are new to the game and learn the<br />
fundamentals of the game.<br />
However, this season, like many other<br />
clubs up and down the country, CYM<br />
have unfortunately struggled with<br />
numbers. Although we have a strong<br />
backbone of players from previous<br />
seasons, many others have moved out of<br />
Dublin for work or personal reasons.<br />
We have attracted several new promising<br />
24 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Grace Tutty (12) puts in a tackle with Caoimhe<br />
Brady in support. (Photo credit Giulia Valentino)<br />
CYM’s Emma Dolan drives through the Barnhall defence.<br />
players into the club who are now<br />
making their mark in the team. With the<br />
fall in numbers, the club joined forces with<br />
Garda Westmanstown RFC who were<br />
also in a similar situation with regards<br />
to numbers, and the seconds have now<br />
joined forces with Garda for the season<br />
in <strong>Leinster</strong> League, Division 3.<br />
The girls of CYM and Garda have<br />
merged really well together, and most<br />
importantly the partnership means that<br />
fixtures are being played rather than<br />
conceded and everyone is getting<br />
valuable game time. And of course, new<br />
friendships are being forged which has<br />
always been at the heart of rugby.<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> and <strong>Connacht</strong> Women’s Squad members<br />
2021 (L-R) Grace Tutty, Noreen Cassidy and Rachel<br />
Horan. (Photo credit Mark Hill)<br />
Another important aspect of the club is<br />
the sense of community, both within the<br />
club itself and the wider area. The team<br />
does not just draw its strength from the<br />
Dublin 6 area, but pride themselves in the<br />
fact that they currently have players from<br />
21 of the 32 counties and eight countries<br />
around the world.<br />
Both the more experienced and new<br />
players have gelled very well and with<br />
an average of 30 players attending<br />
training each night, training sessions are<br />
now more enjoyable than ever before.<br />
Within the club, the women’s section is<br />
on an equal footing with the men’s teams<br />
in terms of coaching<br />
and medical resources,<br />
equipment, and access<br />
to facilities. There are<br />
also several times<br />
during the year when<br />
double headers, tours,<br />
awards nights, and<br />
other social nights are<br />
organised alongside<br />
the men’s section.<br />
Within the wider area,<br />
the women’s section<br />
has contributed to<br />
fundraising events for<br />
local and national charities and working<br />
alongside the men’s section have helped<br />
raise almost €15,000 over the last<br />
couple of years for these charities.<br />
So, the message is clear, if you want to<br />
get involved in women’s rugby, make new<br />
friends and either develop your existing<br />
rugby skills or learn the game of rugby,<br />
then come down to CYM RFC and give<br />
it a try.<br />
The women train three nights per week at<br />
Terenure Sports Club, based in the heart<br />
of Terenure village (54 Terenure Road<br />
North, Dublin 6W). Pitch-based sessions<br />
are held every Monday and Wednesday<br />
evening from 7pm to 8.30pm, with<br />
an optional strength and conditioning<br />
session held every Thursday in the club’s<br />
fully-equipped on-site gym.<br />
And if that isn’t enough to get you<br />
involved, there is always book club,<br />
bake offs, fun runs, international tours, an<br />
annual awards night, team building days,<br />
nights out, nights in, charity fundraising,<br />
community work and much, much more<br />
that the club offers to members.<br />
If you are<br />
interested in<br />
taking up rugby<br />
or you would like<br />
to follow our<br />
updates, check out<br />
our social media<br />
channels:<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Women’s Rugby<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong>WomensRugby<br />
@<strong>Leinster</strong>Women<br />
womenspro@leinsterrugby.ie<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 25
HERE’S TO BEING SHOULDER<br />
TO SHOULDER AGAIN
SHOP THE 2021/22 LEINSTER RUGBY RANGE NOW,<br />
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www.leinsterrugby.ie | 27
leo<br />
the lion’s<br />
kids<br />
corner<br />
IN A BLUR!<br />
Can you name this<br />
leinster player?<br />
spot the difference!<br />
Can you find all six?<br />
ANAGRAMS<br />
Can you un-jumble the names of these players?<br />
NEARBY<br />
DAM<br />
REJOIN<br />
MY IBM<br />
how did you do?<br />
IN A BLUR?<br />
NICK MCCARTHY<br />
ANAGRAMS<br />
ADAM BYRNE<br />
JIMMY O’BRIEN<br />
ZOOMED IN!<br />
HUGO KEENAN<br />
zoomed in!<br />
WHo is this leinster<br />
player having an<br />
extreme close-up?<br />
28 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
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AZTO<br />
with<br />
Josh Murphy<br />
A – Action: If you could be a<br />
superhero, which would you be?<br />
Doctor Strange<br />
B – Boyhood: Who was your favourite<br />
sporting idol growing up?<br />
Richie McCaw<br />
C – Childhood: What is your favourite<br />
childhood memory?<br />
Playing at half-time in the RDS in<br />
minis.<br />
D – Dish: What’s your go-to pre-match<br />
meal?<br />
Spaghetti Bolognese<br />
E – Education: What was your<br />
favourite subject in school?<br />
Maths<br />
F – Film buff: What’s your favourite<br />
film?<br />
Gladiator<br />
G – Groove: Who is the best dancer in<br />
the squad?<br />
Would have to be Ross Byrne<br />
H – Holiday: What’s your favourite<br />
holiday destination?<br />
Mexico<br />
I – Inside: Who is the worst to sit<br />
beside in the dressing room?<br />
Will Connors<br />
J – Joker: Who is the funniest in the<br />
squad?<br />
Alex Soroka<br />
K – Kick-off: What’s your favourite<br />
time of the day to play a match?<br />
9am! Love a morning kick-off…<br />
unlikely to happen is it?!<br />
L – Languages: How many languages<br />
can you speak?<br />
One…and a half! I probably can’t<br />
remember much Leaving Cert<br />
Spanish anymore so that’s down to<br />
a half!<br />
M – Music: Your favourite artist and<br />
song right now?<br />
Greta van Fleet - Heat Above<br />
30 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
N – Number: Do you have a lucky<br />
number?<br />
No<br />
O – Others: What’s your favourite<br />
sport outside of rugby?<br />
Golf<br />
P – Pal: Who is your best mate in the<br />
squad?<br />
Rónan Kelleher<br />
Q – Quirky: Who has the most<br />
interesting fashion sense?<br />
Ed Byrne<br />
R – Red Carpet: Who is the most<br />
famous contact in your phone?<br />
No comment!<br />
S – Superstitions: Do you have any<br />
matchday routines?<br />
Sleep<br />
T – Trim: What’s the worst haircut<br />
you’ve ever had?<br />
My brother Max has given me a<br />
few shockers!<br />
U: Under pressure: Who in the squad<br />
would be the best in a bad situation?<br />
Seán Cronin<br />
V – Verified: How often do you use<br />
social media?<br />
No idea. Not very often!<br />
W – Worst fear: What are you most<br />
scared of?<br />
Rats<br />
X – X-ray: Have you ever broken<br />
any bones?<br />
Only one or two!<br />
Y – Youth: Where did you grow up?<br />
Enniscorthy in Wexford and then<br />
Dublin.<br />
Z – Zoo: What’s your favourite<br />
animal?<br />
Dogs<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 31
THE SPIRIT OF<br />
UNITED RUGBY<br />
CHAMPIONSHIP.<br />
Enjoy responsibly<br />
DISCOVER THE SPIRIT WITHIN |<br />
#SAVOURTHEMOMENT
North Midlands<br />
Underage squads<br />
receive their Training<br />
Tops from Area Chair<br />
Ollie Delaney<br />
On Monday nights<br />
Silken Thomas<br />
Park, Kildare, is a<br />
hive of activity,<br />
as around 100<br />
players from<br />
across the North<br />
Midlands Area<br />
prepare for<br />
upcoming games in<br />
the Shane Horgan<br />
(Boys) and the<br />
Sarah Robinson<br />
(Girls) Inter-Area<br />
Cup Competitions.<br />
In addition a further 10 players<br />
who have played on <strong>Leinster</strong> U-18<br />
Youths continue their development<br />
under the Player Pathway while<br />
continuing their studies for<br />
Leaving Cert 2022.<br />
This year’s sessions are somewhat<br />
larger than usual. Having missed out<br />
on the Shane Horgan Competition last<br />
season there are two squads (U-16 and<br />
U-17) preparing for games in the Shane<br />
Horgan Cup. The U-17s have two games<br />
remaining against the North East and<br />
the South East over the Christmas period.<br />
This will complete the 2020/21 Shane<br />
Horgan Cup.<br />
In the meantime, the 2021/22 U-16<br />
squad continue their preparation for three<br />
upcoming games in early 2022.<br />
The North Midlands U-18 girls squad<br />
continue their preparation for the<br />
upcoming games in the Sarah Robinson<br />
Cup. Training takes place in parallel with<br />
the Youths at Cill Dara on Monday nights,<br />
with fitness and conditioning sessions and<br />
on the park.<br />
The player pathway starts with skill<br />
development sessions open to all U-15<br />
players in the boy’s programme. This has<br />
proved very successful and appealing to<br />
the players themselves. This year with the<br />
help of some determined volunteers and<br />
supported by the North Midlands Area<br />
Committee a similar programme has been<br />
introduced for the U-16 girls.<br />
Getting both the boys and girls in at<br />
this age group is a great way to help<br />
them meet other players in the area and<br />
improve the quality of rugby. The dates<br />
for these sessions are flexible but the aim<br />
is to have four or five sessions throughout<br />
the season.<br />
The North Midlands Junior Committee<br />
continues to support the development of<br />
players across all the North Midlands<br />
Clubs. While group coaching of the<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 35
RUGBY<br />
YOU KNOW BETTER<br />
BECAUSE YOU GET<br />
Official Media Partner of <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby
squads was limited, if at all, during the<br />
early part of the Covid-19 pandemic, the<br />
Area supported the engagement of a<br />
strength and conditioning coach.<br />
The S&C coach set programmes for the<br />
players and monitored their progress. On<br />
returning to the field, the squads have<br />
specific positional sessions for backs<br />
and forwards, along with individual skill<br />
development. They have also been able<br />
to utilise the gym facilities at Cill Dara<br />
and work on their athletic development.<br />
On Monday, 15 November, the North<br />
Midlands Chair, Ollie Delaney, presented<br />
each of the players and coaches<br />
with training tops to recognise their<br />
participation on the North Midlands<br />
Squads in 2021 and 2022.<br />
Speaking on the occasion, Ollie thanked<br />
Cill Dara Rugby Club for their continued<br />
commitment to supporting the Area<br />
through the use of their facilities for all the<br />
North Midlands Area training.<br />
He congratulated the players on their<br />
successes to date and encouraged<br />
them to use their experience to bring<br />
additional value back to their clubs and<br />
their teammates. Participation in the Area<br />
teams forms an important part of the<br />
Player Pathway, as players advance to<br />
the <strong>Leinster</strong> Youths and Girls U-18 squads<br />
next summer.<br />
In addition, Ollie stressed the value of<br />
developing friendships within the squad<br />
with players from other clubs and the<br />
opportunity to make life friendships as<br />
part of these squads.<br />
Also on the night, Mike Higgins,<br />
Ambassador for Barretstown Camp,<br />
returned to thank members of the squads<br />
for their engagement in the ‘Social<br />
Inclusion’ initiative which is now a feature<br />
of the Player Development Programme<br />
for the North Midlands Area underage<br />
squads.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 37
leinster<br />
squad<br />
2021/22 season<br />
Vakh Abdaladze #1263<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 06/02/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.88m<br />
WEIGHT: 121kg<br />
Michael Ala’alatoa #1301<br />
prop<br />
DOB: 28/08/1991<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 127kg<br />
7<br />
CAPS<br />
Ryan Baird #1278<br />
LOCK<br />
DOB: 26/07/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.98m<br />
WEIGHT: 103.18kg<br />
6<br />
CAPS<br />
Adam Byrne #1213<br />
WING / FULL BACK<br />
DOB: 10/04/1994<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 98.18kg<br />
1<br />
CAP<br />
Ed Byrne #1222<br />
6<br />
CAPS<br />
Harry Byrne #1280<br />
2<br />
CAPS<br />
Ross Byrne #1236<br />
13<br />
CAPS<br />
Thomas Clarkson<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 09/09/1993<br />
HEIGHT: 1.8m<br />
WEIGHT: 114.09kg<br />
FLY HALF<br />
DOB: 22/04/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.9m<br />
WEIGHT: 95kg<br />
FLY HALF<br />
DOB: 08/04/1995<br />
HEIGHT: 1.9m<br />
WEIGHT: 92kg<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 22/02/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m<br />
WEIGHT: 118kg<br />
38 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Jack Conan #1223<br />
22<br />
CAPS<br />
7<br />
CAPS<br />
Will Connors #1264<br />
9<br />
CAPS<br />
Sean Cronin #1202<br />
72<br />
CAPS<br />
Max Deegan #1256<br />
1<br />
CAP<br />
NO. 8<br />
DOB: 29/07/1992<br />
HEIGHT: 1.93m<br />
WEIGHT: 114.09kg<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB: 04/04/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.96m<br />
WEIGHT: 100kg<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB: 06/05/1986<br />
HEIGHT: 1.78m<br />
WEIGHT: 103.18kg<br />
NO. 8<br />
DOB: 01/10/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.93m<br />
WEIGHT: 110kg<br />
Peter Dooley #1230<br />
Caelan Doris #1268<br />
12<br />
CAPS<br />
Jack Dunne #1276<br />
Ciaran Frawley #1265<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 04/08/1994<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 117kg<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB: 02/04/1998<br />
HEIGHT: 1.93m<br />
WEIGHT: 107kg<br />
LOCK<br />
DOB: 21/11/1998<br />
HEIGHT: 2.03m<br />
WEIGHT: 120kg<br />
FLY HALF<br />
DOB: 04/12/1997<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 98kg<br />
Tadhg Furlong #1220<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 14/11/1992<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 125kg<br />
52<br />
CAPS<br />
13<br />
CAPS<br />
Jamison Gibson-Park #1247<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
DOB: 23/02/1992<br />
HEIGHT: 1.75m<br />
WEIGHT: 80kg<br />
12<br />
CAPS<br />
David Hawkshaw #1290<br />
FLY HALF / Centre<br />
DOB: 03/07/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.75m )<br />
WEIGHT: 85.91kg<br />
Cian Healy #1142<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 07/10/1987<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m<br />
WEIGHT: 116.82kg<br />
112<br />
CAPS<br />
2<br />
CAPS<br />
Robbie Henshaw #1251<br />
53<br />
CAPS<br />
9<br />
CAPS<br />
Dave Kearney #1158<br />
19<br />
CAPS<br />
Hugo Keenan #1253<br />
16<br />
CAPS<br />
Ronan Kelleher #1277<br />
16<br />
CAPS<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB: 12/06/1993<br />
HEIGHT: 1.9m<br />
WEIGHT: 99.09kg<br />
WING / FULL BACK<br />
DOB: 19/06/1989<br />
HEIGHT: 1.8m<br />
WEIGHT: 90kg<br />
FULL BACK<br />
DOB: 18/06/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m<br />
WEIGHT: 91.82kg<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB: 24/01/1998<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 105kg<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 39
Jordan Larmour #1258<br />
30<br />
CAPS<br />
Dan Leavy #1231<br />
11<br />
CAPS<br />
WING<br />
DOB: 10/06/1997<br />
HEIGHT: 1.78m<br />
WEIGHT: 90kg<br />
FLANKER<br />
DOB: 23/05/1994<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 105.91kg<br />
for full squad profiles<br />
please click here<br />
James Lowe #1262<br />
9<br />
CAPS<br />
Nick McCarthy #1241<br />
Luke McGrath #1206<br />
19<br />
CAPS<br />
Michael Milne #1279<br />
WING / FULL BACK<br />
DOB: 08/07/1992<br />
HEIGHT: 1.88m<br />
WEIGHT: 105kg<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
DOB: 25/03/1995<br />
HEIGHT: 1.8m<br />
WEIGHT: 84.09kg<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
DOB: 03/02/1993<br />
HEIGHT: 1.75m<br />
WEIGHT: 84.09kg<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 05/02/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 115kg<br />
Jimmy O’Brien #1272<br />
Conor O’Brien #1260<br />
Josh Murphy #1261<br />
Ross Molony #1233<br />
LOCK<br />
DOB: 11/05/1994<br />
HEIGHT: 1.96m<br />
WEIGHT: 113kg<br />
FLANKER<br />
DOB: 17/02/1995<br />
HEIGHT: 1.98m<br />
WEIGHT: 110kg<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB: 06/02/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 100kg<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB: 27/11/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 88kg<br />
Tommy O’Brien #1283<br />
Rory O’Loughlin #1248<br />
1<br />
CAP<br />
Scott Penny #1271<br />
Andrew Porter #1246<br />
40<br />
CAPS<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB: 28/05/1998<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 95kg<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB: 21/01/1994<br />
HEIGHT: 1.88m<br />
WEIGHT: 94.09kg<br />
FLANKER<br />
DOB: 22/09/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 104kg<br />
PROP<br />
DOB: 16/01/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 114.09kg<br />
40 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Garry Ringrose #1237<br />
37<br />
CAPS<br />
Rhys Ruddock #1167<br />
27<br />
CAPS<br />
James Ryan #1259<br />
40<br />
CAPS<br />
Johnny Sexton #1127<br />
101<br />
CAPS<br />
14<br />
CAPS<br />
CENTRE<br />
DOB: 26/01/1995<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m<br />
WEIGHT: 96kg<br />
BACK ROW<br />
DOB: 13/11/1990<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 113.18kg<br />
LOCK<br />
DOB: 24/07/1996<br />
HEIGHT: 2.03m<br />
WEIGHT: 115kg<br />
FLY HALF<br />
DOB: 11/07/1985<br />
HEIGHT: 1.88m<br />
WEIGHT: 90kg<br />
Dan Sheehan #1286<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB: 17/09/1998<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m<br />
WEIGHT: 110.91kg<br />
2<br />
CAPS<br />
Devin Toner #1128<br />
LOCK<br />
DOB: 29/06/1986<br />
HEIGHT: 2.11m<br />
WEIGHT: 127kg<br />
70<br />
CAPS<br />
James Tracy #1211<br />
HOOKER<br />
DOB: 02/04/1991<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m<br />
WEIGHT: 106kg<br />
6<br />
CAPS<br />
Josh van der Flier #1228<br />
FLANKER<br />
DOB: 25/04/1993<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m<br />
WEIGHT: 103kg<br />
35<br />
CAPS<br />
Coaching<br />
Staff<br />
2021/22 season<br />
LEO CULLEN<br />
HEAD COACH<br />
STUART LANCASTER<br />
SENIOR COACH<br />
ROBIN MCBRYDE<br />
ASSISTANT COACH<br />
FELIPE CONTEPOMI<br />
BACKS COACH<br />
EMMET FARRELL<br />
KICKING COACH AND<br />
LEAD PERFORMANCE ANALYST<br />
GUY EASTERBY<br />
HEAD OF RUGBY OPERATIONS<br />
DENIS LEAMY<br />
CONTACT SKILLS COACH<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 41
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‘His legacy<br />
is secure’<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong><br />
Rugby pay<br />
tribute to<br />
departing<br />
IRFU chief<br />
Browne<br />
Philip Browne,<br />
chief executive<br />
of the IRFU,<br />
announced<br />
earlier this year<br />
that he is to<br />
retire from the<br />
position as and<br />
from December 31,<br />
2021.<br />
44 | www.leinsterrugby.ie<br />
Browne joined the IRFU in July<br />
1992 and assumed the role of<br />
chief executive in 1998.<br />
Commenting on the decision, Browne<br />
stated, “It has long been my intention to<br />
retire from the role of chief executive to<br />
coincide with reaching the age of 60. I<br />
delayed my decision, given the recent<br />
extraordinary pressures on Irish rugby,<br />
as a result of the Covid pandemic. I<br />
now believe we are at a point where<br />
it is possible to commence plotting a<br />
sustainable route out of the pandemic<br />
and engage in a structured approach to<br />
future longer-term planning, hence the<br />
announcement of my decision at this<br />
time.<br />
“It has been a privilege to serve as chief<br />
executive and while undoubtedly it has<br />
been a pressurised and challenging role<br />
it has, in equal measure, been a truly<br />
exciting and rewarding career.”
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby CEO, Mick Dawson,<br />
said: “I’ve known Philip a long time and<br />
I’ve enjoyed working with him<br />
over many years and have always<br />
found him to be very fair and evenhanded,<br />
it will be sad to see him step<br />
away later this year.<br />
“He has left an indelible mark, not only<br />
on Irish Rugby, but on Irish sport, and<br />
his legacy is most certainly secure.<br />
“During his tenure, he challenged us<br />
all to be better but he has also been<br />
a huge advocate for the provincial<br />
and the international game and he<br />
has championed the sport of rugby in<br />
Ireland.<br />
“The last 18 months has been hugely<br />
challenging but it’s at times like those<br />
that you see people at their best and we<br />
certainly saw that in Philip and how he<br />
led the wider Irish rugby family through<br />
uncharted waters.<br />
“After nearly 25 years as CEO, he<br />
will be missed and I wish Philip all the<br />
very best in his retirement, which is well<br />
deserved.”<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby as a whole would like to<br />
take this opportunity to thank Philip for<br />
his service to Irish rugby and wish him<br />
well in his retirement.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 45
compiled by stuart farmer<br />
media services limited<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Player<br />
Statistics<br />
SQUAD<br />
CAP<br />
NO<br />
DEBUT<br />
2021/22 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER<br />
ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR<br />
App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts<br />
SINCE LAST TRY<br />
CAPS<br />
VAKH ABDALADZE 1263 2 DEC 17 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 0+13 1 5 0+13 1 5 - - - 12 -<br />
MICHAEL ALA'ALATOA 1301 25 SEP 21 3+2 - - 3+2 - - - - - 3+2 - - 3+2 - - - - - - WS 7<br />
RYAN BAIRD 1278 27 APR 19 2+3 - - 2+3 - - - - - 14+18 6 30 13+14 6 30 1+4 - - 6 IR 6<br />
ADAM BYRNE 1213 29 DEC 12 3 3 15 3 3 15 - - - 52+8 23 115 42+8 17 85 10 6 30 2 IR 1<br />
ED BYRNE 1222 9 FEB 14 2+3 1 5 2+3 1 5 - - - 21+54 11 55 21+43 10 50 0+11 1 5 3 IR 6<br />
HARRY BYRNE 1280 28 SEP 19 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 15+11 6 154 15+10 6 149 0+1 - 5 5 IR 2<br />
ROSS BYRNE 1236 4 SEP 15 3+2 1 31 3+2 1 31 - - - 73+36 7 681 61+20 3 502 12+16 4 179 5 IR 13<br />
THOMAS CLARK-<br />
1285 29 AUG 20 - - - - - - - - - 2+8 - - 2+8 - - - - - - -<br />
SON<br />
JACK CONAN 1223 20 FEB 14 2 - - 2 - - - - - 82+25 23 115 61+15 16 80 21+10 7 35 3 IR 22<br />
WILL CONNORS 1264 9 FEB 18 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 17+7 2 10 16+7 2 10 1 - - 11 IR 9<br />
TIM CORKERY 1298 12 MAR 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - - -<br />
SEAN CRONIN 1202 28 OCT 11 1+1 1 5 1+1 1 5 - - - 121+76 43 215 77+55 26 130 43+19 16 80 2 IR 72<br />
MAX DEEGAN 1256 3 DEC 16 1+3 1 5 1+3 1 5 - - - 36+33 19 95 33+25 17 85 3+8 2 10 3 IR 1<br />
PETER DOOLEY 1230 31 OCT 14 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 40+55 5 25 38+49 5 25 2+6 - - 10 -<br />
CAELAN DORIS 1268 28 APR 18 3 1 5 3 1 5 - - - 35+8 6 30 29+6 4 20 6+2 2 10 2 IR 12<br />
JACK DUNNE 1276 16 FEB 19 - - - - - - - - - 2+13 - - 2+13 - - - - - - -<br />
CORMAC FOLEY 1299 24 APR 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - -<br />
CIARAN FRAWLEY 1265 17 FEB 18 5+1 - 2 5+1 - 2 - - - 22+19 4 145 21+15 3 134 1+4 1 11 11 -<br />
TADHG FURLONG 1220 1 NOV 13 3 - - 3 - - - - - 76+41 8 40 45+33 3 15 31+8 5 25 6 IR 52<br />
JAMISON GIBSON-PARK 1247 2 SEP 16 2+2 - - 2+2 - - - - - 51+54 17 85 46+30 14 70 5+24 3 15 9 IR 12<br />
MARCUS HANAN 1295 19 FEB 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+3 - - 0+3 - - - - - - -<br />
DAVID HAWKSHAW 1290 2 NOV 20 - - - - - - - - - 0+8 1 14 0+8 1 14 - - - 4 -<br />
CIAN HEALY 1142 5 MAY 07 1+4 1 5 1+4 1 5 - - - 157+79 28 140 91+52 14 70 64+26 13 65 2 IR 112<br />
ROBBIE HENSHAW 1251 8 OCT 16 1 1 5 1 1 5 - - - 57+1 12 60 26 6 30 31+1 6 30 1 IR 53<br />
DAVE KEARNEY 1158 16 MAY 09 - - - - - - - - - 147+22 51 255 121+15 44 220 25+6 7 35 7 IR 19<br />
HUGO KEENAN 1253 5 NOV 16 4 1 5 4 1 5 - - - 31+3 5 25 26+3 5 25 5 - - 1 IR 16<br />
RONAN KELLEHER 1277 22 FEB 19 2+1 3 15 2+1 3 15 - - - 22+6 12 60 16+4 11 55 6+2 1 5 1 IR 16<br />
JORDAN LARMOUR 1258 2 SEP 17 3 1 5 3 1 5 - - - 55+10 20 100 34+7 15 75 21+3 5 25 3 IR 30<br />
DAN LEAVY 1231 31 OCT 14 3+1 - - 3+1 - - - - - 46+30 17 85 38+20 13 65 8+10 4 20 5 IR 11<br />
46 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
SQUAD<br />
CAP<br />
NO<br />
DEBUT<br />
2021/22 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER<br />
ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR<br />
App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts<br />
SINCE LAST TRY<br />
CAPS<br />
JAMES LOWE 1262 2 DEC 17 3 - - 3 - - - - - 55 34 170 37 25 125 18 9 45 6 IR 9<br />
NICK MCCARTHY 1241 19 DEC 15 0+3 - - 0+3 - - - - - 6+33 4 20 6+27 4 20 0+6 - - 8 -<br />
LUKE MCGRATH 1206 5 MAY 12 4+1 - - 4+1 - - - - - 106+50 39 195 73+44 31 155 33+6 8 40 7 IR 19<br />
MICHAEL MILNE 1279 28 SEP 19 - - - - - - - - - 1+15 2 10 1+15 2 10 - - - 14 -<br />
MARTIN MOLONEY 1300 24 APR 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - -<br />
ROSS MOLONY 1233 20 FEB 15 5+1 - - 5+1 - - - - - 69+53 4 20 67+38 4 20 2+15 - - 8 -<br />
JOSH MURPHY 1261 3 NOV 17 - - - - - - - - - 42+7 5 25 41+6 4 20 1+1 1 5 9 -<br />
JAMIE OSBORNE 1294 30 JAN 21 1+2 - - 1+2 - - - - - 3+6 1 5 3+6 1 5 - - - 4 -<br />
CONOR O'BRIEN 1260 3 NOV 17 1 - - 1 - - - - - 17+7 6 30 17+6 6 30 0+1 - - 10 -<br />
JIMMY O'BRIEN 1272 23 NOV 18 2 - - 2 - - - - - 28+9 7 37 26+9 6 32 2 1 5 3 -<br />
SEAN O'BRIEN 1297 12 MAR 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - - -<br />
TOMMY O'BRIEN 1283 20 DEC 19 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 4+7 3 15 4+7 3 15 - - - 7 -<br />
RORY O'LOUGHLIN 1248 2 SEP 16 2 - - 2 - - - - - 66+23 21 105 59+15 18 90 7+8 3 15 32 IR 1<br />
MAX O'REILLY 1291 2 JAN 21 - - - - - - - - - 6+1 1 5 6+1 1 5 - - - 6 -<br />
SCOTT PENNY 1271 23 NOV 18 2 1 5 2 1 5 - - - 25+6 17 85 25+6 17 85 - - - 2 -<br />
ANDREW PORTER 1246 2 SEP 16 3 2 10 3 2 10 - - - 31+49 13 65 26+30 10 50 5+19 3 15 1 IR 40<br />
GARRY RINGROSE 1237 12 SEP 15 4 - - 4 - - - - - 88+2 27 143 56+1 16 88 32+1 11 55 5 IR 37<br />
RHYS RUDDOCK 1167 6 DEC 09 4+2 - - 4+2 - - - - - 147+47 11 55 110+33 9 45 36+12 2 10 10 IR 27<br />
ROB RUSSELL 1302 3 OCT 21 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - -<br />
JAMES RYAN 1259 2 SEP 17 3 - - 3 - - - - - 47+6 3 15 25+1 1 5 22+5 2 10 13 IR 40<br />
JOHNNY SEXTON 1127 27 JAN 06 2+1 - 22 2+1 - 22 - - - 150+26 26 1529 89+20 13 855 59+6 12 643 16 IR 101<br />
DAN SHEEHAN 1286 23 OCT 20 2+2 3 15 2+2 3 15 - - - 5+12 9 45 5+12 9 45 - - - 1 IR 2<br />
ANDREW SMITH 1292 2 JAN 21 - - - - - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - -<br />
ALEX SOROKA 1296 28 FEB 21 - - - - - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - -<br />
DEVIN TONER 1128 27 JAN 06 2+1 - - 2+1 - - - - - 208+61 4 20 142+43 4 20 63+18 - - 52 IR 70<br />
JAMES TRACY 1211 4 NOV 12 1+2 1 5 1+2 1 5 - - - 58+74 15 75 51+46 14 70 7+28 1 5 3 IR 6<br />
LIAM TURNER 1287 23 OCT 20 - - - - - - - - - 4+2 - - 4+2 - - - - - - -<br />
JOSH VAN DER FLIER 1228 11 OCT 14 3+1 1 5 3+1 1 5 - - - 78+24 12 60 48+18 8 40 30+6 4 20 4 IR 35<br />
2021/22 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER<br />
ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR OVERALL<br />
KICKING<br />
SUCCESS<br />
RATE<br />
C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG ATT Career<br />
%<br />
- - - HARRY BYRNE 0.00% - - - - - - - - - 53 6 52 5 1 1 76 77.63%<br />
ROSS BYRNE 100.00% 10 2 - 10 2 - - - - 206 77 1 164 52 1 42 25 - 366 77.32%<br />
CIARAN FRAWLEY 100.00% 1 - - 1 - - - - - 52 7 - 49 7 - 3 - - 73 80.82%<br />
DAVID HAWKSHAW - - - - - - - - - - 3 1 - 3 1 - - - - 6 66.67%<br />
JIMMY O'BRIEN - - - - - - - - - - 1 - - 1 - - - - - 3 33.33%<br />
GARRY RINGROSE - - - - - - - - - - 4 - - 4 - - - - - 6 66.67%<br />
JOHNNY SEXTON 83.33% 8 2 - 8 2 - - - - 242 294 11 128 171 7 107 119 4 672 79.76%<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 47
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ig picture<br />
27 November 2021<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> supporter Zoe Egan from<br />
Blackrock, Dublin before the<br />
United Rugby Championship match<br />
between <strong>Leinster</strong> and Ulster at RDS<br />
Arena in Dublin.<br />
50 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 51
ENERGIA AIL<br />
A 30 YEAR RUGBY LEGACY<br />
Watch now at<br />
energia.ie/energia-ail-30
BOOK YOUR PLACE ON THE<br />
BANK OF IRELAND SCHOOL<br />
OF EXCELLENCE 2022<br />
The Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
Rugby School of Excellence<br />
returns for its 24th year and will<br />
take place in The King’s Hospital<br />
for four weeks in July and August<br />
2022.<br />
The School of Excellence camp is one<br />
of the most successful rugby camps in<br />
Ireland and gives 12 to 17-year-old girls<br />
and boys the opportunity to experience<br />
what a week in the life of a professional<br />
rugby player is like, of course, in a safe<br />
and enjoyable manner.<br />
Booking your place early is advisable<br />
with limited numbers on each camp<br />
What can participants expect from the<br />
Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby School of<br />
Excellence?<br />
On the pitch, players are challenged both<br />
technically and tactically over the course<br />
of the week, through the game-based<br />
approach.<br />
While off the pitch there is daily video<br />
analysis and an additional two-hour<br />
coaching session on each Friday, with<br />
guest speakers visiting the camp each<br />
week.<br />
Numbers attending these camps have<br />
hit a record high as over 1,000 girls and<br />
boys took part in last summer’s School of<br />
Excellence camps.<br />
Camp attendees come from all over<br />
Ireland and Europe and from countries<br />
such as UAE, Canada, Japan and<br />
America.<br />
The Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby<br />
School of Excellence is aimed at<br />
developing players and fine-tuning their<br />
skills.<br />
The content of the camp has been<br />
developed to reflect the modern<br />
game and as a result has become the<br />
highlight of the summer calendar for<br />
many young players as they will gain a<br />
greater understanding of the game and<br />
learn about values such as teamwork,<br />
commitment, integrity and communication.<br />
Take advantage of our early bird offer<br />
and book your week-long camp for<br />
only €449 residential and €349 nonresidential<br />
until Friday, 4 March.<br />
The price of the camp thereafter is €499<br />
(residential) and €399 (non-residential).<br />
We also offer recurring payments.<br />
Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby School of<br />
Excellence Dates 2022:<br />
Week 1: July 18 – 22 (boys only camp)<br />
Week 2: July 25 – 29 (boys only camp)<br />
Week 3: Aug 1 – 5 (separate girls and<br />
boys camps)<br />
Week 4: Aug 8 – 12 (separate girls and<br />
boys camps)<br />
Stephen Maher, Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
Rugby School of Excellence Manager<br />
said, “We are extremely pleased that<br />
our Bank of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> School<br />
of Excellence is returning for its 24th<br />
summer. Year on year the numbers<br />
attending School of Excellence grow.<br />
“This is a fantastic indicator of how<br />
players value the week with us and the<br />
improvements they make to their game –<br />
on and off pitch. Helping the players with<br />
all aspects of the game. The programme<br />
has been altered as usual to keep<br />
improving and deliver the best possible<br />
experience to the player – which is<br />
what’s most important to <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby.<br />
We can’t wait to get going!”<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 53
offical leinster<br />
supporters club<br />
We’re quickly into Round 7 of the 2021/22 United Rugby<br />
Championship and the second of our home back-to-back<br />
interprovincial fixtures before the focus shifts to Europe for<br />
another fortnight of fixtures there.<br />
Last week’s clash with Ulster was<br />
a tough day at the office for us,<br />
however we must move quickly<br />
from that as this weekend sees us<br />
welcome <strong>Connacht</strong> to the RDS.<br />
While we must contend ourselves with<br />
a hard fought but ultimately frustrating<br />
loss last week, the same cannot be said<br />
for tonight’s opponents who dismissed<br />
Ospreys 46-18 in a fantastic display of<br />
free-flowing rugby in a very (very) wet<br />
and windswept Sportsground last Friday<br />
night.<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> will be coming into this fixture<br />
buoyed by the recent results for both<br />
teams, as well as knowing that the last<br />
time they played in the RDS, back in<br />
January, they went home with a 35-24<br />
victory and you can be sure they’ll be<br />
looking for a similar performance tonight.<br />
Given there was a five-week break<br />
before the games last week, <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
will no doubt have spent the past week<br />
ensuring that the cobwebs are well and<br />
truly blown away as Leo, Stuart and all<br />
the players and backroom staff, will not<br />
be looking for a repeat performance of<br />
last week.<br />
This weekend sees the top two teams<br />
in terms of attacking stats in the URC<br />
face off and so hopefully the raucous<br />
crowd that will pack into the RDS will<br />
be treated to another exciting game of<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong><br />
<strong>Connacht</strong><br />
170 Points 170<br />
24 Tries 23<br />
66 Points Conceded 124<br />
89% Tackle Success 89%<br />
Ross Byrne (31) Leading Points Scorer Jack Carty (65)<br />
Adam Byrne (3) Leading Try Scorer Mack Hansen (5)<br />
Jordan Larmour (13) Defenders Beaten Mack Hansen (28)<br />
Hugo Keenan (256) Metres Gained Mack Hansen (436)<br />
Ross Molony (71) Number of Tackles Conor Oliver (73)<br />
Josh Van Der Flier (5) Turnovers Won Conor Oliver (7)<br />
interprovincial rugby, and one that will be<br />
spoken of for many years to come.<br />
Defensively in the statistics, it’s a case of<br />
3rd v 4th with the visitors sitting higher up<br />
the table there so the team will be looking<br />
for us, the fans, to keep the <strong>Leinster</strong> roar<br />
going throughout the game and ensure<br />
the visitors know that they are not in for an<br />
easy evening.<br />
The walls of the RDS fortress aren’t<br />
breached too often and the team will not<br />
be wanting to face into Europe on the<br />
back of two such breaches. No doubt<br />
the video analysis session was a tough<br />
watch, but we are a team who focuses<br />
on what’s in front and not what was. We<br />
can’t change the past, we just accept and<br />
move on.<br />
Don’t forget to drop into the Laighin Out<br />
before or after the game if you’re looking<br />
to purchase some OLSC Merchandise.<br />
The shop will be open and we look<br />
forward to seeing you all there. You can<br />
of course purchase, and keep up to date<br />
with all things OLSC online, and we<br />
encourage you to visit any of our social<br />
media platforms.<br />
A reminder also to all fans to please<br />
continue to ensure you follow all<br />
directions of RDS staff and let’s keep<br />
each other safe. For now though, here’s<br />
to a fantastic evening of rugby and don’t<br />
forget that when the boys do take to<br />
the field this evening, that you welcome<br />
them back with that familiar <strong>Leinster</strong> roar.<br />
After all, it’s been a lifetime since we last<br />
roared them onto the RDS pitch.<br />
Be loud, Be proud, Be blue!<br />
Your OLSC Committee<br />
54 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
OFFICIAL<br />
LEINSTER<br />
SUPPORTERS<br />
CLUB<br />
Suort us by<br />
visiting r<br />
ONLINE<br />
STORE<br />
Kp up date<br />
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NEWS<br />
Ctact us<br />
olsc@leinsterrugby.ie<br />
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#seaofblue P D E Q
Join our FRIENDS<br />
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For more details,<br />
click here<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 57<br />
www.irfucharitabletrust.com
GETTING<br />
We check social media<br />
for the latest views<br />
and thoughts across<br />
SOCIAL<br />
the 12 counties<br />
58 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 59
Virtual Mascot<br />
Adam<br />
Vale<br />
Age: 7<br />
School: Galway Steiner School<br />
Class: Second Class<br />
Hobbies: Climbing, swimming, drawing,<br />
Minecraft.<br />
Favourite Player: Johnny Sexton<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 61
WHERE ARE<br />
THEY NOW?<br />
fionn carr<br />
THEN: Fionn<br />
Carr made 37<br />
appearances<br />
for <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
from two<br />
stints in<br />
the Academy<br />
(2005-08) and<br />
senior squad<br />
(2011-13).<br />
NOW: He is<br />
married<br />
to Claire,<br />
working as<br />
a Contracts<br />
Manager for<br />
FPG Amentum<br />
in Hong Kong.<br />
62 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
I had to<br />
accept that<br />
my time in<br />
rugby was<br />
coming to an<br />
end just as<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> were<br />
about to win<br />
their first<br />
trophy.<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> versus <strong>Connacht</strong> holds a<br />
special place in the heart of Fionn<br />
Carr.<br />
Few can claim to have moved back and<br />
forth over 11 years through two contracts<br />
in each province.<br />
Straight out of Newbridge College, the<br />
fleet-footed wing was recruited to the<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Academy where a special blend<br />
of pace and evasion were his points of<br />
difference.<br />
“When I first came to <strong>Leinster</strong>, it was<br />
into a contest against the likes of Girvan<br />
Dempsey, Denis Hickie, Shane Horgan<br />
and Isa Nacewa with Luke Fitzgerald<br />
and Rob Kearney for competition too.<br />
You had top quality internationals.<br />
“The focus for me, coming into the<br />
Academy was on getting bigger and<br />
stronger in the first year, while seeing if<br />
I could compete with those guys or how<br />
much better I had to get to challenge<br />
them.<br />
“It was something I was super-excited<br />
about given how most of the Irish<br />
backline consisted of <strong>Leinster</strong> players<br />
with Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon<br />
D’Arcy in the centre, Johnny Sexton on<br />
his way.<br />
“Michael Cheika was there at the time,<br />
building a championship squad, and<br />
the Academy was getting much stronger<br />
too.”<br />
First time around, he stayed long enough<br />
to make his debut in a 21-17 defeat to<br />
Glasgow in Firhill back in October 2007.<br />
“I was lucky enough to get a first cap in<br />
those Academy years. Personally, I felt I<br />
went well. But, the fact we lost the game<br />
was less than ideal,” he shares.<br />
“It was a serious highlight for me, making<br />
my debut. It is something you don’t<br />
forget. I remember afterwards feeling,<br />
‘This is what I want to do’ and how I had<br />
to kick-on from there.”<br />
There were no more caps for his head<br />
and, soon enough, a decision had to be<br />
made<br />
“I spoke to Michael at the end of that<br />
season and he suggested a stint in New<br />
Zealand as the next step during the offseason,<br />
but only with the potential of a<br />
training contract when I came back.<br />
“At the same time, <strong>Connacht</strong> came in<br />
with an offer. I spoke to my parents (Evan<br />
and Angela), Conor McPhillips, who<br />
was finishing up, and Gavin Duffy. The<br />
feedback I got from them led to a chat<br />
with Michael Bradley, the coach at the<br />
time. The opportunity to stay and play<br />
in Ireland was something I wanted to do<br />
rather than moving further afield.”<br />
A happy player is one that is playing<br />
regularly. Fionn was able to develop<br />
through 73 caps for <strong>Connacht</strong> in three<br />
years, scorching defences for an eyepopping<br />
34 tries.<br />
“I loved every minute of it. I moved down<br />
with Ian Keatley and Seán Cronin. We<br />
were in the same boat, eager to make<br />
our way in the game. It was all about the<br />
opportunities I was given and the fact I<br />
took them.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 63
“I used to look for work, constantly<br />
searching for the ball, talking to the<br />
10 out the back, coming off the wing,<br />
trailing guys who tended to make line<br />
breaks, looking for mismatches against<br />
the bigger, slower defenders.”<br />
The licence to thrill was handed out by<br />
Bradley, backs coach Eric Elwood and<br />
even forwards coach Dan McFarland in<br />
a culture of positivity that resonated with<br />
Fionn.<br />
“They were so encouraging, giving you<br />
the freedom to exploit your strength as a<br />
player. They made it easier to show my<br />
skills as a try-scorer.”<br />
In 2011, it also made Fionn appealing to<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> coach Joe Schmidt in a mutual<br />
appreciation that smoothed the way for<br />
his return.<br />
“In 2009, <strong>Leinster</strong> won the Heineken<br />
Cup. I am from Ardclough in Kildare and<br />
I saw the chance to get in on some of the<br />
success they were starting to have. That<br />
was probably my main motivation at the<br />
time. I was still quite young. I wanted to<br />
win trophies.<br />
“There was also the fact I found it slightly<br />
frustrating that the Irish management<br />
didn’t give <strong>Connacht</strong> too much of a look.<br />
“My thinking was if I went to <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
and got into the team, I might get a more<br />
favourable look from Ireland.”<br />
64 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
The second coming at <strong>Leinster</strong> did not go<br />
the way Fionn wanted, despite 37 caps<br />
in two seasons for eight tries.<br />
“I found Joe to be a fantastic coach,<br />
super-detailed, pretty honest with all the<br />
players. You know where you stood with<br />
him. I had been at <strong>Leinster</strong> two years,<br />
and played a lot of the League matches.<br />
For Europe, I ended up on the bench or<br />
as the travelling reserve a lot.<br />
“It just felt like I wasn’t getting the nod. I<br />
never started in the Champions Cup. That<br />
weighed on me. I felt disheartened.”<br />
The employment of Pat Lam as <strong>Connacht</strong><br />
head coach looked like a match made<br />
in heaven for Fionn as the wide-to-wide<br />
style of play guaranteed the wings would<br />
see plenty of the ball.<br />
“Hindsight is a great thing. If I had<br />
known how my time at <strong>Connacht</strong> would<br />
go the second time around I would have<br />
stayed at <strong>Leinster</strong>.<br />
“I made my decision to move west<br />
before I found out Andrew Conway was<br />
moving to Munster and Isa Nacewa was<br />
retiring.”<br />
Lam had a ‘grá’ for Matt Healy, Niyi<br />
Adeolokun, Tiernan O’Halloran as the<br />
first choice back three. Fionn was on the<br />
outside again, down the depth chart.<br />
Even the PRO12 final in 2016 was a<br />
“bitter-sweet” experience, <strong>Connacht</strong><br />
beating <strong>Leinster</strong> at Edinburgh.<br />
“At that stage, the writing had been on<br />
the wall. I had to accept that my time<br />
in rugby was coming to an end just as<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> were about to win their first<br />
trophy.”<br />
France, England and Major League<br />
Rugby were all investigated to varying<br />
degrees. The 31-year-old spoke at length<br />
to his partner Claire, now his wife, and<br />
came to the conclusion that the time was<br />
right to step away, begin a new career.<br />
He played for one year with the Irish<br />
Sevens and rejoined his childhood club<br />
Naas, while getting work experience in<br />
Glofox, a company co-owned by former<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> scrum-half Conor O’Loughlin.<br />
The emphasis on education at <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
made it easier to complete a BA in<br />
Economics and Geography in UCD,<br />
followed by an MBA in Finance and,<br />
later, a qualification in Aviation Leasing<br />
and Finance from the University of<br />
Limerick.<br />
There was also the valuable advice of<br />
Deirdre Lyons, the Player Development<br />
Manager for the Rugby Players of<br />
Ireland to steer Fionn in the right<br />
direction.<br />
He has worked in Aviation Leasing and<br />
Finance as a Contracts Manager with<br />
FPG Amentum in Hong Kong for the last<br />
two-and-a-half years, staying in the game<br />
by playing for Hong Kong Football Club<br />
and helping out as a backs/skills coach.<br />
“When an aircraft is purchased and the<br />
lease signed, I look after the day-to-day<br />
maintenance of the lease.”<br />
Fionn was ushered into a new industry,<br />
bringing much of what he had learned in<br />
his previous professional environment.<br />
“The high level of motivation and drive<br />
allied to a positive attitude are the main<br />
tools I have brought with me from rugby,”<br />
he says.<br />
“I felt when I started I needed to prove I<br />
was good enough to be in there, mainly<br />
because my curriculum vitae was 11<br />
years of rugby.<br />
“I don’t want to say I had a chip on my<br />
shoulder. But, I definitely knew I had to<br />
prove myself. FPG put trust in me. They<br />
gave me an opportunity.<br />
“I was grateful for that. I wanted to repay<br />
it. I hope I am doing that.”<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 65
Referees<br />
Corner<br />
BY DAN WALLACE<br />
Welcome to another edition of Referees Corner. A warm<br />
welcome to Chris Busby and his refereeing team. Chris is<br />
a member of the IRFU High Performance referee team and<br />
has been rising steadily through the ranks over recent<br />
years. He made his URC refereeing debut - then PRO14 - on<br />
9 October 2020 refereeing the match between Zebre and<br />
Dragons. He recently refereed Russia v Chile and was AR2<br />
for Portugal v Japan.<br />
On the domestic refereeing front,<br />
we have had a very busy start<br />
to the season this year in the<br />
Metropolitan Area. Our referees<br />
were back on the pitch from mid-<br />
August with the early season<br />
cups. We had teams of three in<br />
most of the cup competitions. It<br />
is great to work as a team of<br />
three as normally you are on<br />
your own doing a match with<br />
club appointed touch judges, so<br />
to work with your colleagues<br />
in a game is always a welcome<br />
experience.<br />
In the Metro Area, there are currently<br />
133 referees and 13 trainee referees.<br />
Referees across the province are broken<br />
down into Panels: Panel A to Panel<br />
F. Each panel is assigned games in<br />
different leagues, for example Panel<br />
A referees look after games in <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
League Division 1A/1B, JP Flanagan<br />
U-20 Divisions 1 and 2, and Metro 1.<br />
Panel A also looks after sub referee<br />
duties for AIL Division 1A/1B and<br />
Women’s AIL.<br />
On any given weekend referees are<br />
selected to adult games by their Panel<br />
Managers and to Youth games by their<br />
Area Representative, so for example<br />
they could be doing an U-13 boys<br />
Want to get<br />
involved?<br />
Feel free to make contact with the <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Referees<br />
at hayley.whyte@leinsterrugby.ie If you are interested<br />
in becoming a referee get in contact with us through our<br />
Facebook, our website www.leinsterrugbyreferees.ie or<br />
through twitter @leinsterreferee.<br />
66 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
game, U-18 girls game or an adult<br />
game on a weekend. Some referees<br />
may do a game on a Saturday and a<br />
game on a Sunday.<br />
When a trainee referee comes into the<br />
organisation they are mentored and<br />
then given a game where they are<br />
looked at and evaluated. The evaluator<br />
will then recommend them to become<br />
a full member of the association once<br />
the evaluator feels they have met the<br />
required standard.<br />
They will be given development points to<br />
work on and their name is put forward<br />
to the <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Referees Executive<br />
for election. Once elected, they are<br />
then presented with their <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby<br />
Referees jersey.<br />
They then move into Panel F where they<br />
will get further mentoring and evaluation<br />
before they are then moved into a Panel<br />
that suits their ability as a referee.<br />
So far this season in Metro we have<br />
had 10 trainee referees become full<br />
members and we welcomed 13 new<br />
trainee referees to Metro after the last<br />
new members workshop in October.<br />
Referees can be moved then through<br />
the panels depending on their abilities<br />
and their evaluation reports. There is a<br />
Development Panel, which falls under<br />
the remit of the Panel A managers,<br />
which aims to develop referees with<br />
potential to get to referee at AIL and<br />
beyond.<br />
Development Panel members can<br />
then progress onto IPAS. IPAS is an<br />
interprovincial programme where<br />
development referees from each<br />
province with potential to become<br />
referees at AIL go outside their province<br />
and are evaluated on games by other<br />
provincial evaluators.<br />
The IRFU then collate the reports and<br />
decide on which referees they wish to<br />
promote to AIL referees. From there<br />
within the IRFU ranks they can become<br />
involved in United Rugby Championship,<br />
Heineken Champions Cup, Rugby<br />
Europe and World Rugby appointments.<br />
Plenty of opportunity for improvement<br />
and progression through the ranks.<br />
Each month, our referees meet at our<br />
area meeting where different topics are<br />
discussed. Our Referee Development<br />
Manager, Sean Gallagher, brings the<br />
referees through a presentation and<br />
discussion around topics like game<br />
management, scrums, breakdown.<br />
This is to ensure that our referees have<br />
the most up to date information and<br />
interpretations from the IRFU on laws. It<br />
is also a change for our referees to meet<br />
and chat about their own games and<br />
scenarios they came across.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 67
HANGING WITH THE STARS<br />
www.bestmenswear.com<br />
OFF<br />
ENTER THE CODE BELOW<br />
LEIN15<br />
Until December 31st 2021<br />
ONLINE ONLY SHOP NOW<br />
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A moment captured<br />
1 December 2021<br />
Stephen McMahon of Gonzaga<br />
celebrates kicking a conversion in<br />
the last minute to give his side the<br />
lead and victory during the Bank<br />
of Ireland <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Schools<br />
Senior League Division 1A Semi-<br />
Final match between Presentation<br />
College, Bray and Gonzaga at<br />
Energia Park.<br />
Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 69
ank of ireland<br />
MATCHDAY MINIS<br />
Blessington RFC<br />
Squad: Rowan Healy, Zack Hudson, Aidan Ryall, Cillian<br />
Byrne, Joshua Boland, Sebbie Brennan, Jack Flanagan,<br />
Fionn Whelan, Adam Stanley, Sean Byrne, Kayden<br />
McMahon, Donagh O’Brien, Cameron Cullen, Luka<br />
Maguire Krogsrud, Seighin Beattie, Bill Doyle, Ruairí Tivnan,<br />
Kyle Edwards, Alex Willoughby, Mathew Daly.<br />
Coaches: Dermot Jacobs, Ruaidhrí O’Brien<br />
Edenderry RFC<br />
Squad: Alex Hickey, Ben McEvoy, Cara Cullen, Cian<br />
Cooney, Cían Dixon, Ciarán Moran, Darragh McNamee,<br />
Dominykas Tamasauskas, Donnchadh Quinn, Eamon Gill,<br />
Fionn Mulligan, Joshua Ferguson, Kevin Tyrell, Matthew<br />
Mulligan, Michael Glennon, Paul Byrne, Seán Monahan,<br />
Seán Usher, Tadhg McNamee, Troy Moody<br />
Coaches: Niall McEvoy, Jim Quinn<br />
St Bridget’s RFC<br />
Squad: Ben Roche, Charlie Roche, Luke Herangi, Peter<br />
Donnelly, Sean Davis, Thomas McDonnell, Jonnie Falkner,<br />
Ewan Mahon, Louis Holton, Lauri Cryan, Alex Mooney,<br />
Harry Stanley, Jonathan Reynolds, Paddy Rigby, Charlie<br />
Duggan, Leo Rowley, Alex Griffin, Harry Grennan, Jacob<br />
Owens, Kyle Lawson<br />
Coaches: Pete Herangi, Brendan Roche<br />
Suttonians RFC<br />
Squad: Ruaraidh McArdle Moore,Henry James, Cillian<br />
Sexton, Rex Dunleavy, Danny O’Brien, Michael MacCanna,<br />
Leni Smyth, Cian MacDonald, Rian MacLaughlin, Leo<br />
Plunkett, Louis Richardson, Jake Allen, Arran Holmes,<br />
Stephen Kingswood, Sean Marchand, Liam McAllorum,<br />
Bruno Sainz Gonzales, Jamie Molnar, Oisin Moroney,<br />
Tavish Stokes, Oliver Whelan, Aidan Molloy, Cathal Loftus.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 71
TO MAXIMISE YOUR SPORTS AND EXERCISE<br />
PERFORMANCE THROUGH NUTRITION<br />
Optimum Nutrition and <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby have partnered to help share good nutrition tips throughout<br />
the season to help you achieve your performance goals. Here are some simple tips and things to<br />
remember to help maximise your performance and help you recover quickly to come back stronger.<br />
Protein Rich.<br />
Protein provides your muscles with<br />
the building blocks to repair & grow.<br />
Carb-Up.<br />
Carbohydrate foods are king as they<br />
power high intensity play.<br />
Fuel-Up.<br />
Consume the majority of your<br />
carbohydrates around training to<br />
support fuelling and recovery.<br />
Recover.<br />
Quality rest & nutrition between<br />
training sessions is the key to<br />
recovery. Remember to:<br />
Repair with protein,<br />
Refuel with carbohydrate,<br />
Rehydrate with fluid.<br />
Hydrate.<br />
Dehydration can lead to a drop in<br />
exercise intensity & can impact your<br />
decision making. Drink 2-3 litres of<br />
fluid each day to ensure hydration.<br />
Game Day.<br />
To fuel performance on the field,<br />
consume a large carbohydrate rich<br />
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Men’s Energia All-Ireland<br />
League update<br />
With seven rounds of this seasons<br />
Men’s Energia All-Ireland League<br />
having now been completed, with<br />
round eight taking place over this<br />
weekend, the 18 <strong>Leinster</strong> clubs<br />
across the five divisions have had<br />
mixed fortunes but in the main<br />
have performed well to date.<br />
Indeed, within the five divisions three are<br />
led by <strong>Leinster</strong> clubs, Clontarf in Division<br />
1A, while Greystones in Division 2B<br />
and Skerries in Division 2C both remain<br />
unbeaten in this season’s campaign.<br />
In Division 1A, Clontarf pave the way<br />
and sit two points clear of second-placed<br />
Lansdowne who are the only team to<br />
have beaten the north siders to date.<br />
Both teams have accounted for title<br />
holders Cork Constitution who lie in third<br />
place.<br />
Dublin University are in sixth position<br />
after winning their last two games away<br />
to Lansdowne and a comprehensive<br />
home victory over Young Munster.<br />
Terenure are in seventh place after<br />
accounting for UCD in their last outing,<br />
with the students sitting in eighth<br />
position, with their two victories to date<br />
being against the two teams that sit<br />
below them, fellow students UCC and<br />
Ballynahinch.<br />
In Division 1B, Old Wesley lead the way<br />
of the five <strong>Leinster</strong> clubs competing and<br />
sit in second place, their only defeat<br />
coming against league leaders Highfield<br />
who remain unbeaten to date. St Mary’s<br />
are in third place, two points behind Old<br />
Wesley, having won their last five games<br />
in a row. The Templeville outfit have<br />
bounced back after losing their opening<br />
two games to the sides placed ahead of<br />
them in the table.<br />
Naas are in sixth place on the same<br />
points as Shannon after beating the<br />
Limerick team away from home in their<br />
last outing. Old Belvedere and Navan sit<br />
in seventh and ninth place respectively<br />
with both clubs on the same points, they<br />
will both look to change their fortunes<br />
over the remainder of the season to lift<br />
them further up the league table.<br />
MU Barnhall are the sole <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
representative in Division 2A and sit in<br />
sixth place. They started the season with<br />
a flourish winning their opening three<br />
matches and will look to regain that form<br />
after losing their last four outings.<br />
Greystones top the table in Division 2B<br />
where they remain unbeaten to date.<br />
The Wicklow teams unblemished record,<br />
which includes six bonus points, has seen<br />
them amass a 12-point lead over second<br />
placed Wanderers. Blackrock have<br />
moved up to fifth place having beaten<br />
Wanderers away from home in their last<br />
outing. Malahide are in ninth place with<br />
their only success to date coming against<br />
bottom-placed Galwegians.<br />
Skerries also have a 100 per cent record<br />
and top the table in Division 2C but are<br />
only two points clear of second-placed<br />
Enniscorthy, whose only defeat to date<br />
came at the hands of the Skerries men.<br />
74 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Tullamore sit in third place making it a<br />
one, two, three for the <strong>Leinster</strong> clubs in<br />
the division.<br />
So, as we approach the halfway stage<br />
of this season’s league campaign, and<br />
reverse fixtures start to commence,<br />
the position is looking healthy for<br />
the majority of <strong>Leinster</strong> clubs as they<br />
challenge for titles and promotion playoffs.<br />
The men’s Energia All-Ireland League to<br />
date this season has produced matches<br />
of the highest quality across all five<br />
divisions. There has been a significant<br />
increase in attendances at matches which<br />
highlights the importance of the league<br />
to the domestic game across the country.<br />
Our 18 <strong>Leinster</strong> clubs are certainly<br />
played their part.<br />
P.S. To date out of a total of 175 matches<br />
scheduled in this season’s league<br />
campaign, seven matches have been<br />
cancelled due to Covid. Each cancelled<br />
match recorded as a nil-all score with<br />
each team receiving two league points.<br />
All clubs are to be commended for the<br />
manner in which they have dealt with<br />
restrictions and are making every effort<br />
to ensure that the Energia All-Ireland<br />
League will be completed with the<br />
minimum of disruption.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 75
COUNTRY<br />
IRELAND<br />
HOME GROUND<br />
SPORTSGROUND<br />
FOUNDED<br />
1885<br />
CHAMPIONS<br />
1 | 2015-2016<br />
connacht<br />
last time out<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> 46<br />
Ospreys 18<br />
26 November 2021 | The Sportsground | United Rugby Championship<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong>’s admirable sense of adventure at a wind and<br />
rain-lashed Sportsground was rewarded with a 46-18<br />
bonus-point win over the Ospreys.<br />
The Westerners led 18-11 at<br />
half-time after playing into the<br />
big wind, Mack Hansen touching<br />
down after just 129 seconds and<br />
debutant centre Shayne Bolton<br />
and Oran McNulty also scoring<br />
tries.<br />
Luke Morgan had an opportunist score<br />
for the Ospreys, with Stephen Myler<br />
booting two penalties to Jack Carty’s<br />
one.<br />
Sam Arnold and Joe Hawkins swapped<br />
seven-pointers, making it 25-18, before<br />
Morgan’s 58th-minute high tackle saw<br />
him sin-binned and concede a penalty try.<br />
As the Ospreys fell to their second United<br />
Rugby Championship defeat, <strong>Connacht</strong><br />
replacements Caolin Blade and Conor<br />
Fitzgerald made it a seven-try success.<br />
The hosts took off at a rate of knots in<br />
the difficult conditions, Carty’s long pass<br />
finding winger Hansen, who stepped<br />
inside two defenders for an unconverted<br />
try.<br />
Myler and Carty traded penalties for an<br />
8-3 scoreline before another quick-fire<br />
attack - finished by 20-year-old South<br />
African Bolton - was rewarded with five<br />
more points.<br />
Carty missed the conversion, as did<br />
Myler after a <strong>Connacht</strong> attack broke<br />
down, Owen Watkin twice hacked<br />
through and winger Morgan got the<br />
grounding for his try.<br />
However, young full-back McNulty then<br />
took advantage of a defensive slip to<br />
scamper over from 45 metres out.<br />
The visitors, who went close through<br />
hooker Elvis Taione, returned fire when<br />
Myler cut the gap to seven points.<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> were the aggressors on the<br />
resumption, centre Arnold brilliantly<br />
breaking through a couple of tackles<br />
to crash over. Carty squeezed over the<br />
conversion.<br />
Back came the Ospreys, successive scrum<br />
penalties leading to Rhys Webb releasing<br />
teenage centre Hawkins to go in under<br />
the posts. Myler’s kick made it a sevenpoint<br />
game again.<br />
Webb was well positioned to deny<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> replacement Jack Aungier<br />
76 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
a try, but Morgan’s high tackle on the<br />
newly-introduced Peter Robb, as he<br />
sought to score in the right corner, was a<br />
killer blow.<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> dominated the remainder,<br />
Blade wriggling free from Reuben<br />
Morgan-Williams’ grasp to go in under<br />
the posts. Carty unselfishly sent Fitzgerald<br />
over in the final few minutes.<br />
CONNACHT: Oran McNulty; Alex<br />
Wootton, Shayne Bolton (Peter Robb<br />
56), Sammy Arnold (Eoghan Masterson<br />
64), Mack Hansen; Jack Carty, Kieran<br />
Marmion (Caolin Blade 58); Matthew<br />
Burke (Jordan Duggan 58), Dave<br />
Heffernan (Jack Aungier 52), Finlay<br />
Bealham (Shane Delahunt 52); Niall<br />
Murray (Oisin Dowling 35), Ultan<br />
Dillane; Jarrad Butler, Conor Oliver, Paul<br />
Boyle (Conor Fitzgerald 64).<br />
OSPREYS: Dan Evans; Max Nagy (Cai<br />
Evans 60), Owen Watkin, Joe Hawkins,<br />
Luke Morgan; Stephen Myler, Rhys Webb<br />
(Reuben Morgan-Williams 62); Nicky<br />
Smith (Gareth Thomas 31), Elvis Taione<br />
(Sam Parry 48), Tom Botha (Jack Regan<br />
58); Bradley Davies, Rhys Davies (Rhys<br />
Henry 58); Sam Cross (William Griffiths<br />
48), Jac Morgan, Ethan Roots (Morgan<br />
Morris 62).<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 77
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connacht squad<br />
Head coach<br />
Andy Friend<br />
Andy Friend took over the reins at<br />
<strong>Connacht</strong> in 2018, joining from the<br />
Australian Sevens team.<br />
His coaching career has taken in wellknown<br />
clubs across both the southern<br />
and northern hemispheres.<br />
The Australia native presided over<br />
Premiership side Harlequins for three<br />
years in the mid-noughties before<br />
returning to Canberra to take the head<br />
coach position with Brumbies.<br />
He also coached Canon Eagles and<br />
Suntory Sungoliath in the Japanese Top<br />
League.<br />
Captain<br />
Jack Carty<br />
Flanker Jarrad Butler held the<br />
role of captain in Ireland’s<br />
western province from 2018,<br />
while Ireland international outhalf<br />
Jack Carty has recently been<br />
named as matchday captain for<br />
the side.<br />
The now 29-year-old has 160<br />
appearances for his province with a<br />
further 10 caps for Ireland.<br />
Originally from Athlone, Carty played<br />
during his formative years with Marist<br />
College and Buccaneers.<br />
FORWARDS<br />
JACK AUNGIER<br />
PROP<br />
FINLAY BEALHAM<br />
PROP<br />
PAUL BOYLE<br />
BACK-ROW<br />
DENIS BUCKLEY<br />
PROP<br />
MATTHEW BURKE<br />
PROP<br />
JARRAD BUTLER<br />
BACK-ROW<br />
SHANE DELAHUNT<br />
HOOKER<br />
ULTAN DILLANE<br />
LOCK<br />
OISIN DOWLING<br />
LOCK<br />
JORDAN DUGGAN<br />
PROP<br />
LEVA FIFITA<br />
LOCK<br />
DAVE HEFFERNAN<br />
HOOKER<br />
SAM ILLO<br />
PROP<br />
EOGHAN MASTERSON<br />
BACK-ROW<br />
SEAN MASTERSON<br />
BACK-ROW<br />
PADDY MCALLISTER<br />
PROP<br />
GREG MCGRATH<br />
PROP<br />
JONNY MURPHY<br />
HOOKER<br />
NIALL MURRAY<br />
LOCK<br />
CONOR OLIVER<br />
BACK-ROW<br />
ABRAHAM PAPALII<br />
NO. 8<br />
CIAN PRENDERGAST<br />
FLANKER<br />
DOMINIC ROBERTSON-MCCOY<br />
PROP<br />
GAVIN THORNBURY<br />
LOCK<br />
DYLAN TIERNEY-MARTIN<br />
HOOKER<br />
BACKS<br />
BUNDEE AKI<br />
CENTRE<br />
SAMMY ARNOLD<br />
CENTRE<br />
CAOLIN BLADE<br />
SCRUM-HALF<br />
SHAYNE BOLTON<br />
FULLBACK<br />
JACK CARTY<br />
FLY-HALF<br />
TOM DALY<br />
CENTRE<br />
TOM FARRELL<br />
CENTRE<br />
CONOR FITZGERALD<br />
FLY-HALF<br />
HUBERT GILVARRY<br />
SCRUM-HALF<br />
MACK HANSEN<br />
WING<br />
MATT HEALY<br />
WING<br />
DIARMUID KILGALLEN<br />
WING<br />
KIERAN MARMION<br />
SCRUM-HALF<br />
ORAN MCNULTY<br />
FULLBACK<br />
BEN O’DONNELL<br />
WING<br />
TIERNAN O’HALLORAN<br />
FULLBACK<br />
JOHN PORCH<br />
FULLBACK<br />
COLM REILLY<br />
SCRUM-HALF<br />
PETER ROBB<br />
CENTRE<br />
PETER SULLIVAN<br />
WING<br />
ALEX WOOTTON<br />
WING<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 79
Club in Focus<br />
WANDERERS FC<br />
“People with Down Syndrome<br />
need to feel loved, valued<br />
and included.” Beauden Barrett.<br />
It started out as an idea.<br />
It ended up as a social<br />
media sensation.<br />
The sight of the Together<br />
Academy performing the Haka<br />
in front of the All Blacks the day<br />
before Ireland’s win exploded<br />
worldwide last month.<br />
All Blacks respect TA Haka<br />
It all evolved out of the connection<br />
made between the Academy, the IRFU<br />
and the Barrett brothers, Beauden,<br />
Jordi and Scott, who have been vocal<br />
about supporting the Down Syndrome<br />
community in light of their little sister Zara.<br />
“We made a connection to Zara<br />
Barrett, Beauden and Jordi’s sister, who<br />
has Down Syndrome,” says Together<br />
Academy founder Therese Coveney.<br />
“It was never meant to be a huge event.<br />
We had only two days notice. We<br />
engaged the Maori community in Dublin<br />
and two great guys came and trained the<br />
lads properly.<br />
“Elverys jumped aboard to sponsor<br />
jerseys. Tony Doyle Coaches gave us<br />
a bus and we were off to perform the<br />
Haka.<br />
“The Together Academy students did<br />
an amazing job. It was very moving. It<br />
turned into a huge event because the<br />
All Blacks released it onto their social<br />
platforms.”<br />
At last count, it registered more than two<br />
million hits on Twitter, one-and-a-half<br />
million views on Instagram and over<br />
seven-and-a-half million downloads on<br />
TikTok, bringing a spotlight onto a new<br />
venture.<br />
The Together Academy is a training<br />
college and social enterprise for young<br />
adults with Down Syndrome.<br />
“It was set up because of the<br />
unacceptable statistic that 90 per cent of<br />
adults with Down Syndrome in Ireland<br />
are not in paid employment,” says<br />
Therese.<br />
“We have a daughter, April, with DS<br />
and that statistic really bothered me.<br />
I think everyone can acknowledge it<br />
is unacceptable. I spent nearly two<br />
years researching projects, locally and<br />
internationally, that worked for adults<br />
with intellectual disabilities with our<br />
Programme Manager, Cathy Smith.<br />
“At the moment, a young adult receives<br />
their disability payment and goes into<br />
82 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Together Academy Haka<br />
Therese Coveney China McGowan (middle) and<br />
Cathy Smith, Co founder, Programme manager.<br />
day service provision. For many, that is<br />
the limit of their working opportunity.<br />
“These days, children born with<br />
intellectual disabilities are getting speech<br />
therapy, occupational therapy and are<br />
often going to mainstream schools.<br />
“There is not the same societal change<br />
for these people as adults as there is for<br />
them as kids. It is something I was really<br />
aware of.<br />
“They were not benefiting from skills that<br />
would make it easier to find a job.”<br />
The research Therese and Cathy<br />
embarked on revealed how Down<br />
Syndrome men and women learn best<br />
through visual stimulation and repetition.<br />
The decision was taken to find a way of<br />
giving them proper rigorous training and<br />
work experience.<br />
Enter Wanderers.<br />
Last year, the club celebrated 150 years<br />
in existence and there has been an<br />
elevated commitment to reach out to the<br />
community.<br />
This led to a mutually beneficial<br />
partnership to house the Together<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 83
Academy’s education programme in the<br />
clubhouse.<br />
Together Academy at Wanderers FC<br />
“I pitched the idea to Wanderers. They<br />
have been fantastic. They have a very<br />
progressive board,” says Therese.<br />
“There is a lot of talk about diversity and<br />
inclusion in sport. What does that really<br />
mean, in practical terms?<br />
“When the club spoke to me about their<br />
vision, I included the observation that ‘If<br />
we can make this work in Wanderers, we<br />
can make it work anywhere’. After all, in<br />
every county in Ireland, there are underutilised<br />
clubhouses.<br />
“This is a pilot programme, something<br />
that can be scaled up. The concept is to<br />
show how it can work as a commercial<br />
business and to show other people<br />
around the country how to do it.<br />
“In the end, we are trying to challenge<br />
the current lived experience of an adult<br />
with Down Syndrome in Ireland today.”<br />
The Education Training Board (ETB)<br />
is now funding the ‘employment and<br />
culinary skills course’ at Wanderers.<br />
An old billiards room was renovated into<br />
a classroom and the kitchen off the bar<br />
upstairs was perfect for the plan to open<br />
up the ‘Together Academy Café’, where<br />
their learning could be put to use in a<br />
practical way.<br />
At the moment, there are 17 young<br />
adult students on site from Monday to<br />
Thursday, benefiting from funding by<br />
the ETB and Pobal, a government body<br />
working to support communities and local<br />
agencies in achieving social inclusion<br />
and development.<br />
“When the cafe is open, the students will<br />
come into contact with the club members,<br />
the players, the coaches and the general<br />
public.<br />
“This will be the basis for building their<br />
confidence and their skills over two<br />
years so that they will have the option of<br />
independent employment.”<br />
To this point, the opening of the<br />
‘Cafe’ has been paused due to the<br />
complications around Covid and<br />
the response has been to adapt and<br />
overcome.<br />
84 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
This is a pilot programme,<br />
something that can be scaled up.<br />
The concept is to show how it can<br />
work as a commercial business<br />
and to show other people around<br />
the country how to do it.<br />
A luxury hamper business was created in<br />
which 350 were sold out within 72 hours<br />
and a further 520 sold out in double<br />
quick time in a tremendous example of<br />
commercial flexibility.<br />
Unfortunately, Down Syndrome adults<br />
can lose motivation. Health and wellbeing<br />
are a huge part of keeping them<br />
interested. That is why they start every<br />
day with 15-20 minutes of exercise on the<br />
pitches at Merrion Road.<br />
including a blitz for local schools St<br />
Patrick’s Ringsend, Scoil Chaitriona<br />
Baggot St, St Christopher’s and St<br />
Conleth’s Junior School which had<br />
brought 139 fifth class pupils to the club.<br />
There is also a lift in numbers at Minis<br />
and Youths rugby with teams all the way<br />
up to U-17 and the first girls specific<br />
training team (8-12 years old).<br />
men’s teams, the first team challenging for<br />
promotion from AIL 2B, the women team<br />
and the U-20s.<br />
These are exciting times at Wanderers<br />
with a state-of-the-art complex planned to<br />
embrace their push to rebuild.<br />
The ultimate aim is to rebrand Wanderers<br />
as a community-based sports and<br />
recreational club, and a successful<br />
trophy-winning club with rugby as its<br />
primary sport.<br />
The partnership with the Together<br />
Academy is just one example of how<br />
one old club is embracing a new way<br />
forward.<br />
If you would like to make a donation<br />
to the Together Academy, please<br />
visit the website:<br />
www.togetheracademy.ie<br />
The Together Academy is one element<br />
of Wanderers wider plan to increase<br />
engagement with the local community.<br />
There is greater interaction with the local<br />
schools, led by CCRO Ger O’Reilly,<br />
The performance of the Dublin Sports<br />
Club (DSC) Wanderers Touch Rugby<br />
teams have provided players for both<br />
the Men’s and Women’s Irish touch<br />
teams this season on top of the U-20s,<br />
Therese Coveney<br />
the women’s team and the three adult<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 85
86 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
jack<br />
boyle<br />
THE ACADEMY<br />
INTERVIEW<br />
BY PAUL CAHILL<br />
Picture the scene. You<br />
have come home from<br />
the shops on a warm<br />
summer’s afternoon,<br />
only to find most of the<br />
contents of your shed<br />
dumped out into the back<br />
garden as your son has<br />
converted the shed into<br />
a makeshift gym.<br />
As was the case with most<br />
professional and aspiring rugby<br />
players during the height of<br />
lockdown, they had to make do.<br />
Jack Boyle, the <strong>Leinster</strong> Academy prop<br />
was no different.<br />
Having lost a Bank of Ireland Schools<br />
Cup semi-final with St Michael’s to<br />
Newbridge, Boyle was desperate to keep<br />
training but all around him Covid-19 was<br />
taking hold in society and amenities and<br />
gyms were starting to close.<br />
“I was in sixth year at the time and we<br />
were told that the school was closing in<br />
March so I couldn’t do much training.<br />
“But then in May, I got a lot of gym gear<br />
dropped off to the house. It was just<br />
before the Leaving Cert, so I couldn’t<br />
be out the back all of the time but it was<br />
great to get it!<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 87
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“I had pretty much taken over the shed<br />
with plates, barbells, dumbbells, a bench<br />
press, the whole lot. Everything else<br />
took a back seat! We had to leave the<br />
lawnmower out on the grass most of the<br />
time!”<br />
Boyle came through St Michael’s College<br />
having played with a number of other<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> senior and Academy players, but<br />
he was given a great grounding in the<br />
game at his local club.<br />
Old Wesley is a club that was, and still is,<br />
very close to the Boyle family.<br />
“My dad brought me down to Wesley<br />
to start playing minis when I was four or<br />
five, and I was there for about 10 years.<br />
My dad and my uncles all played with<br />
Old Wesley for years. My cousin then<br />
joined and he is still playing there now.<br />
So lots of the family still go down to<br />
watch his matches.”<br />
As a youngster, he would regularly go<br />
to the RDS Arena with family to watch<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong>.<br />
He even had the pleasure of being<br />
mascot as a six-year-old against the<br />
Scarlets in 2008 and of course, who was<br />
captain that day? None other than our<br />
current head coach, Leo Cullen.<br />
“Yeah, that photo pops up every now<br />
and again,” he says with a laugh, “and<br />
it’s thrown up during plenty of meetings<br />
too!”<br />
Those early years helped mould young<br />
Boyle’s love for rugby.<br />
“I used to go to every game in the RDS<br />
when I was young. I would always have<br />
gone with my dad, Herbie, but then in<br />
first or second year, you think you’re class<br />
and you want to go with your friends.”<br />
While rugby was always a big part of his<br />
life, it was only when he walked through<br />
the gates of St Michael’s College did it<br />
really take hold.<br />
“I went into St Michael’s in first year, and<br />
the U-13 cup became the biggest thing.<br />
You’re on top of the world if you can win<br />
that.”<br />
Boyle entered St Michael’s during a<br />
golden period as they fought in the latter<br />
stages of the Junior Cup and the Senior<br />
Cup every year.<br />
Jack watched on in first year and was<br />
desperate to be a part of that.<br />
inpho.ie<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 89
“When I was in second year I got onto<br />
the Junior Cup team. We lost the Junior<br />
Cup final to Blackrock in the worst game<br />
ever.<br />
“The following year, we managed to<br />
get a little bit of revenge by beating<br />
Blackrock in the Junior Cup final after a<br />
replay, which was fantastic. That was a<br />
big day, I loved it.”<br />
Having finished the junior cycle, Jack<br />
was pushing to break straight into the St<br />
Michael’s Senior Cup squad two years<br />
early.<br />
His effort and persistence paid off.<br />
“In fourth year, I was on the senior cup<br />
team with Ryan Baird and Scott Penny.<br />
It was great to be in the squad. We lost<br />
the semi-final that year. But, the following<br />
year we won the cup, beating Gonzaga<br />
in the final.<br />
“Then in sixth year, we lost to Newbridge<br />
in the semi-finals just before the<br />
competition was cancelled. We had a<br />
good team. Chris Cosgrave and Lee<br />
Barron were also in my year. They are<br />
also in the <strong>Leinster</strong> Academy now.”<br />
With one Junior Cup and one Senior Cup<br />
title to his name, Boyle looks back on his<br />
schools rugby career with great fondness.<br />
“That was the most enjoyable team<br />
environment I’ve ever played in. You’re<br />
playing with your best friends every<br />
day. It’s different to a <strong>Leinster</strong> or Ireland<br />
set up where everyone is trying to turn<br />
professional. It’s unreal being best mates<br />
with lads and going out and beating a<br />
team. You can’t beat it.”<br />
Moving into UCD in September 2020,<br />
Jack was looking forward to a new start<br />
in his college life beginning a Commerce<br />
degree, as well as a new start in his<br />
rugby career with UCD RFC.<br />
But, with no games taking place due to<br />
lockdown, that opportunity never came.<br />
“Last year, I didn’t get to play at all. We<br />
were just in lockdown for so long. The<br />
only games I got to play last year were<br />
a few <strong>Leinster</strong> ‘A’ games, and then the<br />
U-20 Six Nations in July. So basically,<br />
just training for the full year until the Six<br />
Nations last summer.”<br />
But, those games at the end of last season<br />
were quite significant for Boyle as he<br />
made his mark with the Irish U-20 side.<br />
Two second half turnover penalties in the<br />
opening win against Scotland were a<br />
high point at the end of a year without<br />
much rugby.<br />
“After I played <strong>Leinster</strong> U-18s twice,<br />
the U-19s and 20s were both<br />
cancelled. So we hadn’t played much<br />
at all up to that point.”<br />
After good wins over<br />
Scotland, Wales and<br />
Italy, narrow defeats<br />
to England and France<br />
meant that there was no<br />
silverware for the Irish<br />
U-20s. But Boyle looks<br />
back at his first outing<br />
with the team with pride.<br />
“I didn’t realise the<br />
extent of the exposure the<br />
team gets during the U-20<br />
Six Nations. It’s so class. I<br />
probably underestimated<br />
that.<br />
“I would tell all of the lads ahead of this<br />
year how big it is and enjoy every minute<br />
of it because it’s a big deal. You play<br />
one game and you’re already looking<br />
forward to the next game. It’s class<br />
playing in one or two of those<br />
games, but a full tournament is<br />
great.”<br />
With a global pandemic in<br />
full flow as he left school, Jack<br />
has had to take a rather<br />
unorthodox pathway to<br />
the <strong>Leinster</strong> Academy.<br />
“Because the <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
U-19s and U-20s<br />
were cancelled,<br />
there was only a<br />
handful of us in<br />
the sub-Academy<br />
down in Energia<br />
Park.<br />
“During the<br />
pandemic, there<br />
were only six<br />
of us able to<br />
go training and<br />
90 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
we were only allowed to use our own<br />
ball. So it was hard to keep ticking over.<br />
But I knew the U-20s last summer was a<br />
big deal.”<br />
That U-20 Six Nations tournament led to<br />
a huge moment for Jack.<br />
Having turned 18 just a few months<br />
before the tournament, he was expecting<br />
to spend another year in the <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
sub-Academy before another crack at the<br />
Six Nations. Instead, he received the call<br />
every young rugby player hopes for.<br />
“Some of the lads were offered an<br />
Academy contract around March that<br />
year, but I’m a year younger than most<br />
lads so I didn’t get that initial offer. But<br />
then I got the call in July 2020 after I got<br />
back from the Six Nations tournament.”<br />
It’s a moment that he will never forget.<br />
“I was standing in the kitchen when I got<br />
the call.<br />
“I just started shouting and my parents<br />
were there too, so they figured out what I<br />
was shouting about quite quickly.<br />
“I then rang my school coaches,<br />
Last year, I didn’t get to play at all. We were<br />
just in lockdown for so long. The only games<br />
I got to play last year were a few <strong>Leinster</strong> ‘A’<br />
games, and then the U-20 Six Nations in July. So<br />
basically, just training for the full year until<br />
the Six Nations last summer.<br />
Emmett McMahon and Andy<br />
Skehan, to let them know<br />
straight after as well. It was<br />
an amazing feeling to let them<br />
know.”<br />
Now in his first year as an<br />
Academy player, Jack splits<br />
his time between Irish U-20<br />
camp, the Ken Wall Centre of<br />
Excellence and UCD.<br />
It’s going to be an exciting few<br />
months for the young prop.<br />
“I spend a lot of time in camp<br />
with the Irish U-20s as I’m<br />
eligible again this year. I’m<br />
really looking forward to that<br />
kicking off again. That takes up<br />
a good chunk of time. I have<br />
had some time training with<br />
the <strong>Leinster</strong> Senior team.<br />
“During the international<br />
break, I was up as I was<br />
involved for the <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
‘A’ game against Ulster<br />
‘A’. You get windows<br />
here and there with the first team, but<br />
I’m hoping to be more involved next<br />
year.”<br />
Exposure to the senior<br />
players is something that<br />
Boyle relishes. He plans<br />
on learning as much as he<br />
can from the experienced<br />
players.<br />
“I was on the bench for<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> ‘A’ a few weeks<br />
ago. The senior players<br />
were great to me. Seán<br />
Cronin, Peter Dooley and<br />
Ed Byrne, just chatting to<br />
them. Especially as a front<br />
rower, you can never get<br />
too much information. They<br />
were great to chat to and<br />
it makes a big difference<br />
for us young players.”<br />
So after a year of very<br />
little rugby activity, it’s<br />
now all go for Boyle<br />
with a big six months<br />
coming up.<br />
“Hopefully, I’ll be involved in the U-20<br />
Six Nations this year and hopefully we<br />
can win that. There’s the U-20 World<br />
Cup in Australia, so I hope to be fit and<br />
able to travel for that. That will kick off<br />
around May. That would be a great<br />
experience.”<br />
Now with a small window to reflect on his<br />
path to the <strong>Leinster</strong> Academy, Boyle<br />
is certain who deserves a special<br />
mention.<br />
“When I first started going down to the<br />
minis, I don’t think I was too keen on it.<br />
“My dad being so persistent, he kept<br />
bringing me down, and that definitely<br />
played a massive role in me going on<br />
to absolutely love the game. I have to<br />
say, as I got a bit older, every Sunday,<br />
no matter how early in the morning or<br />
where we had to go, he always brought<br />
me to grounds around the place for more<br />
than 10 years. He definitely played a<br />
big role.”<br />
Here’s to all of the mums and the dads<br />
who help kick start every rugby journey.<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 91
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Academy<br />
Year Three 2021/22:<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Academy<br />
Year two 2021/22:<br />
Second Row<br />
Brian Deeny<br />
DOB: 02/03/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.99m WEIGHT: 121kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (8 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Brian played youth rugby with Wexford<br />
Wanderers RFC. He got his first Irish cap playing for<br />
Ireland Under-18 Sevens. Brian played midfield for<br />
his school St Peter’s College in Gaelic football and<br />
reached the All-Ireland Colleges Final in 2017. He is<br />
currently studying Science in Trinity and lives in Abbey<br />
House B&B, Wexford...if you are looking for a room?!<br />
Instagram: brian_deeny<br />
wing<br />
Niall Comerford<br />
DOB: 06/04/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 86kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20<br />
Did You Know: Niall played both hurling and Gaelic<br />
football with Kilmacud Crokes for 14 years. He also<br />
represented Dublin in Gaelic football in the U17<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Championship. He is currently studying<br />
Commerce in UCD.<br />
Instagram: niall_c123<br />
Cormac Foley #1299<br />
DOB: 24/10/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.81m WEIGHT: 88kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (9 caps)<br />
& <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (1 cap)<br />
Marcus Hanan #1295<br />
DOB: 03/10/2000<br />
HEIGHT:1.8m WEIGHT:110.91kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (2 caps)<br />
& <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (3 caps)<br />
Scrum Half<br />
Did You Know: Started playing rugby with Greystones<br />
RFC when he was nine. Growing up, Cormac did a lot<br />
of show jumping and he is now studying Economics and<br />
Finance in UCD.<br />
Instagram: cormacfoley6<br />
prop<br />
Did You Know? Marcus is from Clane in Kildare and is the<br />
youngest of three. His dad went to the High School and then<br />
played rugby in Old Wesley before coaching back at Clane<br />
RFC. Marcus has Italian connections on his mother’s side with her<br />
father, Luigi Rea, being from Italy. Marcus is studying Business<br />
Management in Griffith College. Instagram: @marcus_hanan<br />
Back Row<br />
Martin Moloney #1300<br />
DOB: 19/10/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.88m WEIGHT: 99kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (5 caps) &<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (1 cap)<br />
Did You Know: Martin played hurling for Kildare and<br />
played GAA and basketball for his secondary school,<br />
Knockbeg College, and local GAA club, St Laurence’s.<br />
He played his youth rugby with Athy RFC. He is now<br />
studying Business and Law in UCD, He also enjoys<br />
working on the family farm. Instagram: martin_moloney<br />
Second Row<br />
Joe McCarthy<br />
DOB: 26/03/2001<br />
HEIGHT: 1.95m WEIGHT: 119kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Joe started playing rugby with Blackrock<br />
College RFC at the age of six before moving to<br />
Willow Park and then Blackrock College. He was also<br />
on the Blackrock swim team for five years. He’s currently<br />
studying Global Business in Trinity College Dublin.<br />
Instagram: joetmmcc<br />
Second Row<br />
Charlie Ryan<br />
DOB: 03/02/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 2.01m WEIGHT: 115kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (15 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Charlie played youth rugby at Blackrock<br />
College RFC while also attending the school since<br />
Senior Infants. He captained Ireland to the U20 Grand<br />
Slam in 2019 and again for the U20s World Cup. His<br />
friends call him Chuck! He is currently studying Business<br />
and Legal Studies in UCD.<br />
Instagram: chuck_ryan5<br />
hooker<br />
John McKee<br />
DOB: 15/02/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.82m WEIGHT: 105kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (12 caps)<br />
Did You Know: John grew up in Belfast going to school<br />
at Campbell College where he won a Senior Cup. He<br />
was involved with Ulster at age grade level until moving<br />
to Dublin after school. He also has multiple medals<br />
from Northern Irish Schools Judo competitions.<br />
Instagram: johnmckee_<br />
Centre<br />
Liam Turner #1287<br />
DOB: 14/07/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.73m WEIGHT: 91kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (10 caps)<br />
& <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (6 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Liam started to play rugby at the age<br />
of six at Blackrock College RFC. He later joined<br />
Blackrock College and was part of the 2018 Senior Cup<br />
winning team. He was also part of the Ireland U20 team<br />
that went on to win the 2019 Grand Slam. Liam currently<br />
studys BESS in Trinity College. Instagram: liamtn123<br />
Centre / Full Back<br />
Jamie Osborne #1294<br />
DOB: 16/11/2001<br />
HEIGHT:1.93m WEIGHT:96.82kg<br />
HONOURS: <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (9 caps)<br />
Did you know? Jamie is studying commerce in UCD. His<br />
grandad, Paddy Osborne, was a horse trainer in Naas,<br />
while his dad played rugby all throughout his life and<br />
his mum played hockey. Other than rugby, Jamie loves<br />
all sports especially soccer, GAA and NFL. Jamie is<br />
currently in a house with fellow <strong>Leinster</strong> Academy players<br />
Brian Deeny, Martin Moloney and Max O’Reilly.<br />
Instagram: @jamieosborne01<br />
92 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Seán O’Brien #1297<br />
Lee Barron<br />
Back Row<br />
DOB: 31/07/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.90m WEIGHT: 103kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps)<br />
& <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (2 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Seán started playing rugby at age<br />
six with Greystones RFC where he played up until Under-13.<br />
He then played on the Junior and Senior Cup<br />
teams in Blackrock College. He is currently studying<br />
Economics and Finance in UCD<br />
Instagram: seanobrien456<br />
Hooker<br />
DOB: 15/02/2001<br />
HEIGHT: 1.91m WEIGHT: 108kg<br />
Did You Know: Lee played golf growing up in the<br />
Castle Golf Club and in the end was playing off a<br />
handicap of eight. He has family roots in Carlow but<br />
went to school in Dublin and attended St Michael’s College.<br />
As well as rugby with his school, he also played<br />
GAA and even lined out in Croke Park.<br />
Instagram: @lleebarron<br />
Max O’Reilly #1291<br />
Chris Cosgrave<br />
Full Back<br />
DOB: 26/02/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m WEIGHT: 86kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps) &<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (7 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Max is currently in his third year of<br />
Business and Management in DIT. His preferred sport<br />
was soccer until about the age of 15, which he had<br />
played at centre midfield with Enniskerry FC for over 10<br />
years and also for Wicklow.<br />
Instagram: max_oreilly<br />
full back<br />
DOB: 24/07/2001<br />
HEIGHT:1.83m WEIGHT:85kg<br />
Did You Know: Chris is a member of UCD RFC, where<br />
he is also an Ad Astra scholar studying Agricultural<br />
Science. His athleticism is best highlighted by his feats<br />
in the field of Athletics with All-Ireland honours to his<br />
name in both the 4x100m relay and the Discus. Before<br />
the UCD and St Michael’s College days, he played at<br />
a young age with Old Belvedere RFC.<br />
Instagram: @chriscosgrave1<br />
Andrew Smith #1292<br />
Mark Hernan<br />
DOB: 21/07/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 91kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps) &<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (2 caps)<br />
DOB: 04/07/2000<br />
HEIGHT: 1.88m WEIGHT: 99kg<br />
Back Three<br />
Did You Know: Andrew is currently studying Quantity<br />
Surveying and Construction Economics in TUD. In<br />
2019, he won the <strong>Leinster</strong> Schools Senior Cup with St<br />
Michael’s College. Andrew also played Gaelic football<br />
with his local club - Clanna Gael Fontenoy GAA Club.<br />
Instagram: andrew.sm1th<br />
Flanker<br />
Did You Know: Mark was coached by Ross Molony,<br />
Josh Murphy, Ross Byrne and Nick McCarthy when in<br />
St. Michael’s College. His grandfather Fergus O’Brien<br />
was Lord Mayor of Dublin and his father, Ray, played<br />
for <strong>Connacht</strong> seniors and Ireland u25s.<br />
Instagram: @mark_hernani<br />
Alex Soroka #1296<br />
Temi Lasisi<br />
Back Row<br />
DOB: 19/02/2001<br />
HEIGHT: 1.95m WEIGHT: 104.5kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (7 caps)<br />
& <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (2 caps)<br />
Did You Know: Alex’s family moved to Ireland from<br />
Ukraine shortly before his birth. He was born in Cork<br />
before moving to Dublin.<br />
Instagram: alex._.soroka<br />
prop<br />
DOB: 09/05/2001<br />
HEIGHT: 1.78m WEIGHT: 115.8kg<br />
Did You Know: The TUD Mechanical Engineering<br />
student originally picked up the oval ball in Enniscorthy<br />
before later moving to Lansdowne FC. Temi rose<br />
through the ranks in the Youths system, his first outing<br />
with the province came at U-18 level against Northampton.<br />
He also describes himself as a ‘competent<br />
pianist’.<br />
Instagram: @lasisi.temi<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby Academy<br />
Year one 2021/22:<br />
Scrum half<br />
Ben Murphy<br />
DOB: 23/04/2001<br />
HEIGHT: 1.75m WEIGHT: 80kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (3 caps)<br />
& <strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (1 cap)<br />
Did You Know: Ben played all different sports growing<br />
up including football, GAA and golf and won an 800m<br />
gold in the U-14 East <strong>Leinster</strong>s. He is studying economics<br />
in UCD. Ben’s father Richie played for <strong>Leinster</strong><br />
Rugby and has coached at all levels of the game and is<br />
the current Ireland U-20s head coach. I<br />
nstagram: @ben._murphy01<br />
Jack Boyle<br />
DOB: 10/03/2002<br />
HEIGHT: 1.85m WEIGHT: 106kg<br />
HONOURS: Ireland U20 (4 caps)<br />
Rob Russell #1302<br />
DOB: 13/01/1999<br />
HEIGHT: 1.83m WEIGHT: 90kg<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby (2 caps)<br />
Prop<br />
Did You Know: Jack’s father, Herbie, and uncles, Colon<br />
and Eric, all represented Old Wesley rugby club for<br />
years. His cousin Stephen Boyle also represented the<br />
<strong>Leinster</strong> Rugby youths. Jack is currently studying for a<br />
Commerce Degree in UCD.<br />
Instagram: @jackboyle1<br />
Full Back / Wing<br />
Did You Know: Rob is currently in his final year of<br />
Business and Management in DIT. He started playing<br />
rugby at the age of five with Wanderers RFC. He also<br />
played football up to minor level with Kilmacud Crokes<br />
and it took priority over rugby until he left school.<br />
Instagram: @robrussell7<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 93
fixtures and<br />
results 2021/22<br />
Date<br />
25/09<br />
03/10<br />
09/10<br />
16/10<br />
22/10<br />
27/11<br />
KO/<br />
Result<br />
W<br />
31-3<br />
W<br />
7-6<br />
W<br />
43-7<br />
Opposiotion Venue 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 1 2<br />
URC VODACOM<br />
BULLS<br />
URC DRAGONS<br />
Aviva<br />
Stadium<br />
Rodney<br />
Parade<br />
URC ZEBRE RDS Arena J O’BRIEN<br />
KEENAN O’LOUGHLIN RINGROSE FRAWLEY LOWE<br />
SEXTON<br />
3C 1P<br />
MCGRATH<br />
PORTER<br />
1T<br />
SHEEHAN<br />
KEENAN RUSSELL RINGROSE C O’BRIEN O’LOUGHLIN R BYRNE GIBSON-PARK PORTER SHEEHAN<br />
A BYRNE<br />
2T<br />
OSBORNE<br />
FRAWLEY<br />
W<br />
50-15 URC SCARLETS RDS Arena KEENAN LARMOUR RINGROSE FRAWLEY<br />
1C<br />
W<br />
31-15<br />
URC GLASGOW<br />
Scotstoun<br />
Stadium<br />
KEENAN<br />
1T<br />
A BYRNE<br />
1T<br />
L<br />
10-20 URC ULSTER RDS Arena J O’BRIEN A BYRNE HENSHAW<br />
1T<br />
LARMOUR<br />
1T<br />
LOWE<br />
RINGROSE FRAWLEY LOWE<br />
FRAWLEY<br />
LARMOUR<br />
H BYRNE<br />
SEXTON<br />
1C 1P<br />
R BYRNE<br />
4C 1P<br />
R BYRNE<br />
1C 1P<br />
MCGRATH<br />
GIBSON-PARK<br />
MCGRATH<br />
E BYRNE<br />
1T<br />
PORTER<br />
1T<br />
HEALY<br />
CRONIN<br />
1T<br />
KELLEHER<br />
1T<br />
KELLEHER<br />
1T<br />
MCGRATH E BYRNE TRACY<br />
03/12 19:45 URC CONNACHT RDS Arena<br />
11 Dec 15:15 HCC BATH<br />
17 Dec 20:00 HCC MONTPELLIER<br />
26/12 19:35 URC MUNSTER<br />
01/01 19:35 URC ULSTER<br />
Aviva<br />
Stadium<br />
GGL (Altrad)<br />
Stadium<br />
Thomond<br />
Park<br />
Kingspan<br />
Stadium<br />
07/01 19:35 URC SIGMA LIONS RDS Arena<br />
16 Jan 13:00 HCC MONTPELLIER RDS Arena<br />
22 Jan 13:00 HCC BATH<br />
28/29/30<br />
Jan<br />
18/19/20<br />
Feb<br />
04/05/06<br />
Mar<br />
25/26/27<br />
Mar<br />
01/02/03<br />
Apr<br />
22/23/24<br />
Apr<br />
29/30/01<br />
Apr<br />
20/21/22<br />
May<br />
TBC<br />
URC CARDIFF<br />
RUGBY<br />
Recreation<br />
Ground<br />
Cardiff Arms<br />
Park<br />
TBC URC OSPREYS RDS Arena<br />
TBC<br />
URC BENETTON<br />
tadio<br />
Monigo<br />
TBC URC CONNACHT Sportsground<br />
TBC URC MUNSTER RDS Arena<br />
TBC<br />
TBC<br />
URC CELL C<br />
SHARKS<br />
URC DHL<br />
STORMERS<br />
Jonsson<br />
Kings Park<br />
Green Point<br />
Stagium<br />
TBC URC EDINBURGH RDS Arena<br />
94 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
3 4 5 6 7 8 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23<br />
ALAALATOA MOLONY J RYAN RUDDOCK<br />
VAN DER FLIER<br />
1T<br />
ALAALATOA MOLONY RYAN RUDDOCK VAN DER FLIER<br />
ALAALATOA BAIRD TONER LEAVY<br />
FURLONG MOLONY RYAN<br />
DORIS<br />
2T<br />
PENNY<br />
1T<br />
VAN DER FLIER<br />
DORIS<br />
DEEGAN<br />
1T<br />
RUDDOCK<br />
CONAN<br />
FURLONG MOLONY BAIRD DORIS LEAVY CONAN<br />
TRACY<br />
1T<br />
E BYRNE HEALY BAIRD DEEGAN GIBSON-PARK<br />
R BYRNE<br />
1T 1C<br />
TRACY E BYRNE HEALY BAIRD LEAVY N MCCARTHY C FRAWLEY<br />
KELLEHER<br />
1T<br />
SHEEHAN<br />
2T<br />
SHEEHAN<br />
1T<br />
DOOLEY HEALY MOLONY DEEGAN N MCCARTHY<br />
HEALY<br />
1T<br />
ALAALATOA BAIRD RUDDOCK MCGRATH<br />
SEXTON<br />
4C<br />
R BYRNE<br />
3C<br />
OSBORNE<br />
S PENNY<br />
[UNUSED]<br />
RUSSELL<br />
T O’BRIEN<br />
E BYRNE ALAALATOA TONER RUDDOCK GIBSON-PARK OSBORNE VAN DER FLIER<br />
FURLONG MOLONY TONER LEAVY PENNY RUDDOCK CRONIN DOOLEY ABDALADZE DEEGAN CONNORS N MCCARTHY H BYRNE T O’BRIEN<br />
An Garda Síochána supports the 16 Days of Activism<br />
against Gender-Based Violence Campaign<br />
We are supporting the United Nations #16DaysofActivism against<br />
Gender-Based Violence campaign.<br />
25th November 2021 (International Day of No Violence against Women) to<br />
10th December 2021 (International Human Rights Day)<br />
An Garda Síochána are here to listen, support and protect.<br />
If you do not feel safe or are concerned about a friend/relative,<br />
please contact your local Garda Station (details on www.garda.ie).<br />
Alternatively, contact your local domestic abuse support agency (details can be<br />
found at https://www.safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/)<br />
If you require urgent assistance or support, please call 999 or 112.<br />
Keeping People Safe<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 95
matchday<br />
Squads<br />
Hugo Keenan<br />
Jordan Larmour<br />
Garry Ringrose<br />
Robbie Henshaw<br />
James Lowe<br />
Harry Byrne<br />
Luke McGrath [C]<br />
15<br />
14<br />
13<br />
12<br />
11<br />
10<br />
9<br />
FULL BACK<br />
RIGHT WING<br />
OUTSIDE CENTRE<br />
INSIDE CENTRE<br />
LEFT WING<br />
FLY HALF<br />
SCRUM HALF<br />
Oran McNulty<br />
Alex Wootton<br />
Sam Arnold<br />
Peter Robb<br />
Mack Hansen<br />
Jack Carty [C]<br />
Kieran Marmion<br />
officials<br />
REFEREE:<br />
CHRIS BUSBY<br />
(IRFU, 14TH COMPETITION GAME)<br />
ASSISTANT REFEREES:<br />
EOGHAN CROSS (IRFU)<br />
OISIN QUINN (IRFU)<br />
TMO:<br />
OLLY HODGES (IRFU)<br />
Cian Healy<br />
Dan Sheehan<br />
Michael Ala’alatoa<br />
Ryan Baird<br />
Devin Toner<br />
Rhys Ruddock<br />
Josh van der Flier<br />
Caelan Doris<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
LOOSE HEAD PROP<br />
HOOKER<br />
TIGHT HEAD PROP<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
SECOND ROW<br />
BLINDSIDE FLANKER<br />
OPENSIDE FLANKER<br />
NUMBER 8<br />
Matthew Burke<br />
Dave Heffernan<br />
Finlay Bealham<br />
Oisín Dowling<br />
Ultan Dillane<br />
Eoghan Masterson<br />
Conor Oliver<br />
Jarrad Butler<br />
Rónan Kelleher<br />
Andrew Porter<br />
Vakh Abdaladze<br />
Josh Murphy<br />
Max Deegan<br />
Nick McCarthy<br />
Ross Byrne<br />
Tommy O’Brien<br />
16<br />
17<br />
18<br />
19<br />
20<br />
21<br />
22<br />
23<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
REPLACEMENT<br />
Shane Delahunt<br />
Jordan Duggan<br />
Jack Aungier<br />
Leva Fifita<br />
Cian Prendergast<br />
Caolin Blade<br />
Conor Fitzgerald<br />
Tom Farrell
At Sword we know how important the Game is.<br />
We know how important your memories are ....so relax<br />
and enjoy yourself, you're in safe hands.<br />
LEINSTER RUGBY FANS .... Secured by the team at Sword<br />
Dublin: 01-6688220<br />
info@swordsecurity.com<br />
www.swordsecurity.com<br />
Securing Sports Fans around the World.
Parting Shot<br />
27 November 2021<br />
Action from the Bank of Ireland<br />
Half-Time Minis between<br />
Ashbourne RFC and Wicklow RFC<br />
at the United Rugby Championship<br />
match between <strong>Leinster</strong> and Ulster<br />
at the RDS Arena. Photo by David<br />
Fitzgerald/Sportsfile<br />
98 | www.leinsterrugby.ie
Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile<br />
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 99