Leinster Rugby vs Benetton Rugby
Leinster | Official Matchday Programme of Leinster Rugby | Issue 01 Leinster Rugby vs Benetton Rugby | United Rugby Championship Friday 23rd September, 2022 | KO 7.35pm | RDS Arena
Leinster | Official Matchday Programme of Leinster Rugby | Issue 01
Leinster Rugby vs Benetton Rugby | United Rugby Championship
Friday 23rd September, 2022 | KO 7.35pm | RDS Arena
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Club in<br />
Focus<br />
BY DES BERRY<br />
clane RFC<br />
There are<br />
problems<br />
that can<br />
keep you up<br />
at night<br />
for all<br />
the right<br />
reasons.<br />
Craig Ferguson<br />
In a crowded market, there<br />
has to be one or more points of<br />
difference that keep the curious<br />
coming through the front door.<br />
In that regard, Clane <strong>Rugby</strong> Club has<br />
devised a three-year strategic plan to<br />
embrace the ever-changing challenges<br />
that come along with growing numbers.<br />
The four pillars of the plan, formed in<br />
2020, are developing 21st-century<br />
facilities, enhancing diversity and<br />
inclusion, increasing female participation<br />
and developing player pathways.<br />
First, the simple provision of enough grass<br />
to play on is what all clubs crave, enough<br />
space for everyone to get stuck in.<br />
For this purpose, Clane targeted a third<br />
pitch alongside increasing the lighting,<br />
the tarmacking of the driveway and car<br />
park and improving clubhouse facilities.<br />
To this point, the security of a loan has<br />
enabled Clane to complete the pitch and<br />
install the lighting, while the other works<br />
are in the pipeline.<br />
Second, the ‘Everyone Plays’ ethos of the<br />
club is particularly central to providing<br />
rugby for players of mixed abilities at the<br />
youth and senior levels.<br />
“We are committed to the simple idea of<br />
having a game for everyone,” says club<br />
President Craig Ferguson.<br />
“There are clubs in the area which have<br />
mixed ability teams at the teenage levels.<br />
There is no senior adult club in close<br />
proximity.”<br />
This is seen as a niche in the marketplace<br />
that has not yet been accounted for and<br />
Clane want to be first to that starting line<br />
in the area.<br />
“By the end of the year, Clane, led by<br />
Sinead Lawlor, want to put out the adult<br />
team these other clubs can send their<br />
players to. It will be small numbers to start<br />
with the intention to grow.”<br />
78 | www.leinsterrugby.ie