Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers

VSLEINSTER 

ISSUE 11 | LEINSTER RUGBY OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME 

VS 

DHL 

Stormers 

FRI 24 th MARCH 

RDS ARENA 

KO 7.35PM

Our People, Our Home 

TWELVE COUNTIES. ONE SHIRT. 

Aaron Craig 

From a lad wearing Leinster blue to the RDS, to 

designing this season’s shirt. Aaron Craig’s journey has 

been amazing. The adidas Designer talks us through 

his design and what it means to create the shirt for his 

boyhood club. 

How did you begin working with adidas? 

When I was at the National College of Art and Design Dublin, I learned 

of adidas’ intern program. A lifelong fan of the brand, I knew it was an 

amazing opportunity. Luckily, I got to join adidas as an intern in 2016 

and I’ve been in Herzogenaurach (adidas HQ) ever since. I’m now a 

licensed apparel designer for some of the biggest teams in the world. 

What drew you to this project? 

Leinster asked if there were any Irish designers at adidas HQ they 

could collaborate with. For a lad who comes from Leinster that grew 

up supporting the team, this was a massive bucket list moment. My 

grandfather even worked the entrance gates the RDS and Donnybrook 

for years. 

What was your inspiration for the design? 

The inspiration came quite naturally. Each county of Leinster was to be 

represented equally with their heraldic crests – instantly recognisable 

symbols. I wanted to recount my own Leinster memories too. That 

meant introducing the darker blue sleeves and the collegiate gold 

detailing. To me, it’s a design that could be worn by players from any 

generation, from O’Driscoll to Sexton. 

How do you keep designs fresh year on year? 

We work closely with clubs to find authentic and fresh stories. At 

adidas, we also want to be at the forefront of performance technologies 

and sustainability. So every year we work to combine the two. 

Which design excited you the most? 

On a professional level, I designed the Spanish national team kits for 

the World Cup this season. The biggest sporting event there is. But, 

on a personal level, being part of the first adidas Celtic jersey in 2020 

and now seeing the framed Leinster kits in my parents’ home in Dublin 

might just be level with the World Cup. 

How does it feel to see your designs worn by thousands of fans? 

Seeing your jersey enjoyed by fans is definitely one of the most 

rewarding aspects of our jobs. Seeing people of all ages around Dublin 

on game day. Outside the pubs and cafés around the RDS. It’s a real 

pinch yourself moment for sure.

Newstead Building A, 

UCD, 

Belfield, 

Dublin 4 

#LEIVSTO 

The Line up 

Telephone: 

012693224 

Fax: 

012693142 

E-mail: 

information@leinsterrugby.ie 

www.leinsterrugby.ie 

10 

34 

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT 

President: Debbie Carty 

Chief Executive: Shane Nolan 

Honorary Secretary: Stuart Bayley 

Honorary Treasurer: Michael McGrail 

RUGBY MANAGEMENT 

Head Coach: Leo Cullen 

Senior Coach: Stuart Lancaster 

Head of Rugby Operations: 

Guy Easterby 

Assistant Coach: Robin McBryde 

Backs Coach: Andrew Goodman 

Kicking Coach: Emmet Farrell 

Contact Skills Coach: Seán O’Brien 

14 

PROGRAMME CREDITS 

Editorial Team: Marcus Ó Buachalla 

& Daniel Kelly 

Advertising: Gary Nolan 

Design: Julian Tredinnick, 

Ignition Sports Media 

Photography: Sportsfile 

Chief Steward: Sword Security 

Ambulance: St. John’s Ambulance 

Medilink 

Event Control & Safety Services: 

Eamonn O’Boyle & Associates 

62 

86 

STAY 

CONNECTED 

& KEEP 

UP-TO-DATE 

www.leinsterrugby.ie | 3

Debbie Carty welcome 

PRESIDENT, LEINSTER RUGBY 2022/23 

On behalf of Leinster Rugby, I 

would like to welcome you all to 

the RDS Arena for this evening’s 

match against DHL Stormers in 

Round 16 of this season’s BKT URC. 

In particular, I wish to extend a 

warm welcome to Dublin to our 

South African visitors, to their 

Chairperson, to the squad, their 

Head Coach John Dobson and 

their management team and 

hope you are enjoying your visit 

here for the URC competition. 

Leinster have won their last fifteen 

matches in the URC and are now into the 

Round of 16 in the Heineken Champions 

Cup, I would like to congratulate the 

Leinster squad on their wins to date. 

Leinster are leading in the URC, and 

will be confident heading into tonight’s 

match. We also expect the DHL 

Stormers to be very confident as they 

themselves are playing very well in the 

URC winning a majority of their games 

in the URC. We expect tonight to be a 

challenging and physical match as we 

strive to take back the League title. 

It’s an extremely busy time for Rugby, 

having just played and won the Six 

Nations last week, but we will be 

missing a few key players, but I have no 

doubt that with the depth in the Leinster 

squad, we will handle the challenge of 

meeting the Stormers tonight. 

I would like congratulate Andy Farrell, 

his coaching staff and of course the 

players on their outstanding results by 

winning the Six Nations with a Triple 

Crown and Grand Slam win in the Final 

match in the Aviva against England on 

St. Patrick’s weekend. 

On that note can I congratulate Leinster 

Players Garry Ringrose and Josh van 

der Flier on receiving their 50th Caps 

after the Ireland v England game last 

week. I’d also like to congratulate 

Johnny Sexton on breaking the record 

for most points scored during the Six 

Nations. 

Irish rugby is in a great place at the 

moment, and it was brilliant to see our 

U20 team also win the Grand Slam last 

weekend. Their win in Cork meant it was 

back-to-back Grand Slams for Richie 

Murphy’s team. 

On the domestic front, a number of 

the Leinster Leagues, Metro Leagues 

and Schools matches will be played 

this weekend, with a number of the 

competitions coming down to the last 

match. It will be an exciting weekend in 

the domestic game. 

On the Schools front, a huge well done 

to Declan Fassbender, Martin Fenlon 

and the rest of their coaching squad 

on a phenomenal win with Gonzaga 

beating Blackrock College in the SCT. 

In the Bank of Ireland Provincial Towns 

Cup, we are down to the last four teams 

for the Semi Finals, with those games 

set for being played on9 April. A 

very competitive local derby between 

Carlow and Tullow is the pick of the ties, 

as Cill Dara play last year’s winners 

Kilkenny. I would advise you all to get 

down to your local club for what will be 

some cracking games of Rugby. 

I would like to welcome to the RDS this 

evening the mini rugby teams who will 

play at half time in the Bank of Ireland 

Mini Games. To the players from Birr, 

Longford, Naas and Newbridge rugby 

clubs, your coaches and parents, I 

know you will all enjoy the occasion. I 

would ask all supporters to show your 

appreciation and cheer on these young 

stars of the future. 

To our title sponsor Bank of Ireland, 

great patrons of both our professional 

and domestic games, who along with 

all our premium partners and suppliers, 

who do so much to support Leinster 

Rugby, I offer my sincere thanks. 

Finally, to you the fans, our Season 

Ticket Holders, members of the Official 

Leinster Supporters Club and Friends of 

Leinster, I thank you for the contribution 

you make on match days. I am sure this 

evening will be no different as you get 

the roar going and the flags waving to 

cheer on “the Boys in Blue” to another 

victory. Let us hope for an energetic, 

exciting and injury free match tonight. 

Debbie Carty 

Leinster Rugby President 2022/23 

4 | www.leinsterrugby.ie

I have no 

doubt that 

with the 

depth in the 

Leinster 

squad, we 

will handle 

the challenge 

of meeting 

the Stormers 

tonight. 


Leo Cullen 

head Coach Welcome 

Good evening and a warm RDS 

Arena welcome, for the first 

time ever, to John Dobson and 

his URC Championship-winning 

DHL Stormers. 

Our South African visitors played 

some wonderful rugby on their 

way to winning last season’s 

tournament and we know only 

too well that tonight represents 

one of our sternest tests so far this 

season. 

What a weekend of action for Irish rugby 

that was. A huge congratulations to Andy 

Farrell, Johnny Sexton and all the squad 

on becoming only the fourth Irish team in 

6 | www.leinsterrugby.ie 

history to win the Grand Slam (and the 

first to clinch the big prize in Dublin). 

Congratulations also to Richie Murphy, 

captain Gus McCarthy, and the rest of 

the Ireland U-20s on winning their own 

Grand Slam. 

I was lucky enough to be at the Aviva 

with my wife last Saturday, so I got a real 

supporter’s sense of what an amazing, 

special occasion it was. The Irish team got 

an incredible reception from the crowd 

right from the off. 

It really makes you appreciate how lucky 

we are to play in front of such enthusiastic 

fans. Hopefully we’ll get some more of 

that atmosphere tonight! 

Congratulations to Andrew Porter, 

Josh van der Flier, James Ryan and 

Garry Ringrose, all of whom reached 

the 50-cap mark for Ireland during 

the tournament. Congratulations also 

to Johnny on becoming the highest 

points scorer in Six Nations history – 

another brilliant achievement in a truly 

outstanding career. 

Amidst the joy of last weekend, there 

was also a poignant moment as the 

faces of four great rugby men who 

recently passed away appeared 

on screen. 

Our deepest condolences go 

out to the families of Caleb 

Powell, Niall Brophy, Tom 

Tierney and Brian O’Brien, who 

are all sadly missed. I was fortunate to 

meet all four over the years and that is 

one of the beauties of this game – we get 

to know so many great characters. May 

they all rest in peace. 

A big thanks to everyone who made 

the trip over to Edinburgh for our most 

recent outing in the BKT United Rugby 

Championship. It gave us a real lift to see 

so many Leinster flags and shirts in the 

crowd, and I was proud of the way our 

guys responded to bring home a really 

hard-earned bonus point win. 

Thanks as ever to our sponsors, 

particularly Bank of Ireland. We’re 

always delighted to see our 

corporate partners enjoying the 

match day experience and the 

bigger the occasion, the better. 

We hope you get to enjoy this 

season’s run-in and all that 

goes with it. 

Finally, a heart-felt thanks to 

all our supporters, friends and 

families who have our back 

through thick and thin. Your 

support makes days like this so 

special and we love making 

you proud. 

We’ve worked hard this season 

to give ourselves a good platform 

and now it’s all about delivering. 

Enjoy the game. 

Leo

It really 

makes you 

appreciate 

how lucky we 

are to play in 

front of such 

enthusiastic 

fans. 

Hopefully 

we’ll get 

some more 

of that 

atmosphere 

tonight! 


laura 

lynch 

BANK OF IRELAND 

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER 

A very warm 

welcome to the 

rds arena from 

Bank of Ireland as 

we look forward 

to this evening’s 

fixture. 

Bank of Ireland are proud partners to Leinster 

Rugby. Like us, they are rooted in local communities 

across the 12 counties of Leinster. 

We are delighted to support Leo Cullen and his coaching 

team in building Leinster Rugby through clubs and schools, 

developing home grown talent and always ensuring that 

Leinster #NeverStopCompeting. 

Much of that amazing talent will be on display on the pitch this 

evening. 

We wish Leinster Rugby every success, and hope that you 

enjoy the game. 

Laura Lynch. 

BANK OF IRELAND 

CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER 


Did you 

know? 

• Leinster Rugby have 

won all nineteen matches 

they have played in all 

tournaments this season, 

fifteen with maximum points. 

• The Leinstermen’s only 

defeat at the RDS Arena 

since November 2021 was 

by a solitary point in last 

season’s BKT United Rugby 

Championship semi final 

against Vodacom Bulls. 

• Leinster have won the 

only game they have played 

this season against a South 

African opponent beating 

Cell C Sharks at the RDS in 

October to end a three-game 

losing streak against SA 

franchises. 

• DHL Stormers have won 

their last three Vodacom 

United Rugby Championship 

encounters since their 5-35 

reversal to Ulster in Belfast 

at the end of January. 

• Stormers have faced Irish 

opponents on seven previous 

occasions, winning the four 

played in South African and 

losing the three played in 

the Northern Hemisphere. 

• The two sides have met just 

once before, in Cape Town 

last April, with the home 

side winning 20-13. 

COMPARISON 

Overall URC head-to-head record: 

Played 1, Stormers won 1. 

Last 3 URC results: 

28 Jan - Cardiff Rugby (H) W 38-14 4 Feb - Sharks (A) W 46-19 

18 Feb - Dragons (H) W 43-14 18 Feb - Bulls (A) W 23-19 

4 Mar - Edinburgh (A) W 47-27 4 Mar - Sharks (H) W 29-23 

URC 2022/23 

1ST - W15 D0 L0 - 71PTS 

2ND - W11 D1 L3 - 59PTS 

WWWWWW (28pts) 

URC form 

WLLWWW (20pts) 

Top try scorer 

8 - Dan Sheehan, Rob Russell 5 - Junior Pokomela, Joseph Dweba 

Top points scorer 

67 - Ross Byrne 143 - Manie Libbok 

Date Venue L S Leinster scorers Stormers scorers 

Sat 30 Apr 22 

DHL Stadium (Green 

Point) 

13 20 Ciaran Frawley(2P) Harry Byrne(C) Ed 

Byrne(T) 

Manie Libbok(P) Warrick Gelant(T) Penalty 

Try(T) Seabelo Senatla(T) 



K

dave 

earney 

the big interview 

BY DANIEL KELLY 

A year is a long, 

long time for a 

sportsman. You 

just need to ask 

Dave Kearney. 


Last season was an injury 

interrupted campaign for the 

Louth native. He only played in 

four matches, scoring one try. 

Not since the 2009-10 season had 

Kearney featured so rarely for 

Leinster. 

His 2021-22 season finished in March, 

but with eight BKT URC appearances to 

his name this season, he is delighted to 

be back on the pitch more regularly, and 

back scoring tries too! 

“It’s been great”, Kearney said earlier 

this week, when asked about getting over 

the injury demons that plagued him last 

season. 

“You’re always a happier player when 

you are injury free, and when you’re 

enjoying playing. Every season can be 

different though - a lot of the time it can 

be pure luck. 

“It’s been great to be on the pitch so 

much. I’ve had one or two niggles but 

I’ve been enjoying the last couple of 

months.” 

With 181 Leinster caps to his name so 

far, Kearney is one of the veterans in 

the squad. It’s a role he feels has more 

responsibility during the international 

windows, when many of his teammates 

are away with Ireland. 

“My role does change this time of year. 

You have to take more of a leadership 

role. 

“It’s a different time of year for sure 

though, with so many of the guys in 

Ireland camp. It’s a great time to be 

involved with Leinster. 

“There are a lot of lads getting 

opportunities and young lads putting up 

their hands. You have the same group for 

seven or eight weeks. Plenty of them have 

done really well. It’s great to see the next 

generation of players coming through. 

“Off pitch, I don’t speak a lot during 

meetings, but this time of the year I’d 

speak more. In games, I’d still talk a lot, 

but it’s a time to help coach some of the 

younger players who are getting more 

game time. 

“Players in the back three are constantly 

learning, and this time of year can help 

me help develop those players too. 

“I’d like to make sure they fit in as 

seamlessly as possible, so when their big 

day comes, they are in the best place 

possible.” 

Such is Kearney’s role in the squad, 

he presented Aitzol King and fellow 

Louthman Tadgh McElroy with their 

Leinster caps, after making their debuts 

this season. 

“It’s a very cool thing to do. We didn’t do 

it back in my day, when I was starting off. 

It’s something that Leo has brought in. 

“It’s a cool thing to do, and something 

these players will always remember. 

Coming in after a win, and getting your 

first cap is a very special moment. It’s 


The more tries 

and more caps I get, 

I then think about 

milestones, but it’d 

be lovely to get 

those two markers 

before the end of 

the season. 

important that we mark it, because it is a 

special time for each player.” 

Kearney is very close to hitting two 

significant achievements in the URC. 

Tonight will be his 149th League 

appearance for Leinster, and he is two 

tries short of crossing the whitewash 50 

times in the League, Only seven players 

have more URC tries to their name than 

the 33-year-old. 

“At the start of my career, I never thought 

about scoring 50 League tries for Leinster. 

The more tries and more caps I get, I 

then think about milestones, but it’d 

be lovely to get those two markers 

before the end of the season.” 

Both on and off the field, 

Leinster Rugby has come a 

long way since Kearney made 

his debut in 2009 against 

Dragons. He feels the club is 

only going one way, with the 

production line still bearing 

fruit. 

“It’s been an incredible journey. It’s hard 

to think back to how things were back 

then, but we’ve come a really long way. 

“If you look back at the special wins, 

the trophies won, and the world-class 

players and coaches that have been 

here - it shows how far we’ve come. It’s 

only getting better too. We’re improving 

year on year. 

“If you look at our underage systems 

- I watched the Schools Senior Cup 

Final last week, and the standard 

was incredible. 

“We saw the Under-20s getting 

the Grand Slam too! Leinster 

is in a really good place going 

forward. It’ll continue to grow. 

“When I was in the Academy, 

things were different. The players 

coming through now are so 

professional. It’s a great place to be, 

with everything that’s available to them 

both on and off the field.” 


My favorite 

games are the 

home European 

ties in the 

RDS. The fans 

are always 

behind us. 

While things are looking good for the 

future, the immediate focus turns to the 

reigning URC champions, who currently 

lie second in the table. 

The DHL Stormers were seven-point 

winners in the reverse fixture last 

season in Cape Town, and Kearney is 

expecting a proper test tonight. 

“The South African teams are so 

physical, no matter what the team is, 

whether home or away. The Stormers 

are playing really well this season. I 

think it’ll be a great game. 

“It’ll be a brilliant test for us. We’ll have 

a young squad, and it’ll be a proper 

test, which can only be a good thing 

for us. 

“The pace the Stormers play is 

incredibly quick too, so we need to be 

aware of their threats throughout the 

backline. 

Tonight’s match is the final regular home 

game of the season in the RDS, and 

when asked about his relationship with 

Leinster’s fans, Kearney could not give 

enough praise to the Sea of Blue. 

“It’s what Leinster is! Every home game 

and away game we get phenomenal 

support. Whether it’s the RDS, the Aviva, 

or away from home - they’re always 

there. 

“My favorite games are the home 

European ties in the RDS. The fans are 

always behind us. I’ve had plenty of 

special moments on that field. After we 

had a great season, the first home game 

of the following season always has that 

special buzz. 


It sounds like a cliche, 

but they’re an extra man 

for us. They are always 

behind us when we need 

a lift. It’s a privilege to 

play for them. 

“We love when the fans bring the noise. 

We’re in a privileged position to have 

such a loyal and brilliant fanbase. 

They’re among the best in Europe. 

“It sounds like a cliche, but they’re 

an extra man for us. They are always 

behind us when we need a lift. It’s a 

privilege to play for them.” 

Kearney was an interested spectator in 

recent weeks throughout the Guinness 

Six Nations. It brought back fond 

memories of the 2014 championship, 

when he played every minute en route 

to the Six Nations title. 

Two of his Leinster teammates Johnny 

Sexton and Cian Healy were also part 

of that team, and he is in awe at the 

work the duo put in in recent weeks. 

“It’s phenomenal. When you look at 

players like Johnny and Cian - it’s 

how they have stayed at that level for 

long, but they are playing Six Nations, 

summer tours, URC and Heineken 

Champions Cup games every season. 

“They are a driving force for both 

Ireland and Leinster. They are incredibly 


important to both teams. Irish rugby is 

in a brilliant place at the minute.” 

If Leinster avoid defeat this 

evening, top spot in the URC is 

guaranteed before the final 

two rounds, guaranteeing 

home advantage in 

the Play-Offs. They are 

games Kearney is eager 

to be involved in. 

“You want to play in every 

game! All the big games 

are the ones you are working 

through the year to play in. 

They are the best days to be 

involved in. It’d be nice to hit the 

50 and 150 mark in the league, 

but I’d love to get my hands on a 

trophy or two before the season is 

over” 

With three tries to his name this 

season, Kearney will hope he gets 

the opportunity to score those two 

more. With 55 tries to his name in 

all competitions, you wouldn’t put it 

past him. 


27 

47 

Action 

replay 

SATURDAY, 4TH MARCH 2023 

DAM HEALTH STADIUM 

ATTENDANCE: 7,240 

REFEREE: CRAIG EVANS (WRU) 

BKT UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP 

EDINBURGH RUGBY 

Boffelli, Hoyland, Bennett, Lang, Goosen, 

Savala, Vellacott; Venter, McInally, Atalifo, 

Sykes, Skinner, Crosbie, Watson, Mata 

REPLACEMENTS: Cherry, Jack, Millar-Mills, 

Hodgson, Haining, Shiel, Van Der Walt, 

Dean 

TRIES: Boffelli (2), Venter, Skinner 

CONVERSIONS: Boffellii, Savala 

PENALTIES: Boffelli 

LEINSTER RUGBY 

Frawley, Larmour, Turner, Osborne, 

Kearney, H Byrne, McGrath; Milne, McKee, 

Ala’alatoa, Molony, Jenkins, Ruddock (capt), 

Penny, Deegan 

REPLACEMENTS: Barron, Boyle, Clarkson, 

Deeny, Connors, N. McCarthy, Tector, 

Russell 

TRIES: Deegan, Milne (2), Penny (2), 

Kearney, Ala’alatoa 

CONVERSIONS: H Byrne (6) 


Edinburgh started really hard. 

We talked during the week about 

what was on the line for Edinburgh 

and I think our guys knew what 

was coming but we still couldn’t 

quite deal with it. They brought 

physicality but I thought we 

weathered the storm pretty well 

and then we were able to score 

some really good tries 

Leo Cullen 


Ahead of tonight’s game, there will be 

a moment’s appreciation in memory of 

Caleb Powell and Niall Brophy. 

Powell was a former Lansdowne 

FC, Leinster Rugby and IRFU 

President. 

The Tipperary native was the IRFU’s 

122nd president in 2010/11 and was a 

former president of Lansdowne FC in the 

1993/94 season and also President of 

the Leinster Rugby Branch in 1997/98. 

As a player Caleb pulled on the Nenagh 

Ormond and UL Bohemians jerseys and 

was capped by Munster Rugby before 

representing Dublin University FC and 

Lansdowne FC in Dublin, with whom he 

won the Leinster Senior Cup as captain 

in 1965. 

Following his playing days, Caleb 

coached the King’s Hospital School, 

where he had attended as a pupil 

and would later work, Lansdowne, the 

Leinster Schools and the Ireland Schools 

sides. 

Caleb also sat on many Leinster Rugby 

Branch and IRFU committees and was 

held in high esteem, in particular, for his 

contributions to the schools game. He 

was the schools’ representative on the 

Leinster Branch for over 20 years, from 

1980 to 2006. 

Our thoughts are with Gill, with Bob, 

Lynn and Dave, and all of his family and 

friends and those that knew him best in 

Templederry and in Lucan. 

Brophy was a Leinster Rugby, 

Ireland and British & Irish Lions 

winger. 

He also played for UCD RFC, Blackrock 

College RFC, London Irish RFC and 

represented the Barbarians in an 

illustrious career. 


The Dublin-born winger was also a 

noted athlete winning national underage 

schools and collegiate titles over 100 

and 220 yards, but it’s with the oval 

ball in hand that he excelled captaining 

Blackrock to the 1954 Leinster Rugby 

Schools Senior Cup against Tony 

O’Reilly’s Belvedere College. 

Brophy won the first of his 20 Irish caps 

in 1957 against France, scoring on his 

debut, and was selected on two British 

& Irish Lions tours although injury denied 

him any Test appearances on the first tour 

in 1959 to Australia and New Zealand. 

He was not to be denied on the 

subsequent tour to South Africa, winning 

two Test caps in 1962. 

Following his playing career, he was 

president of the Leinster Rugby Branch 

(1981-1982), Blackrock College RFC 

(1985-1986) and was also the IRFU 

president (1997-1998). 

His contribution to rugby was 

acknowledged far and wide as he was 

inducted into the Rugby Writers of Ireland 

Hall of Fame in 2003, the Leinster Rugby 

Hall of Fame in 2011 and he was named 

in UCD’s ‘Team of the Century’. 

His legacy in his club, Blackrock College 

RFC, is also secure as their refurbished 

and state of the art gym was opened in 

2018 and was renamed the Niall Brophy 

Gym in honour of one of their favourite 

sons. 

His wife Mary Rachel and children 

David, Cara, Harry, Marie-Elena, 

Niamh and Rachel are all very much in 

our thoughts as are his wide network of 

family and friends. 

May both Caleb and Niall rest in 

peace. 


leo 

the lion’s 

kids 

corner 

ANAGRAMS 

Can you un-jumble 

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MAJOR 

RURAL NOD 

A MAJOR 

KINGPIN BOSS 

spot the difference! 

Can you find all six? 

zoomed in! 

WHo is this leinster player 

having an extreme close-up? 

how did you do? 

ANAGRAMS 

Jordan Larmour & Jamison Gibson-Park 

ZOOMED IN! 

Ciarán Frawley 

a... 

...maze... 

...ing 

can you make 

your way 

through the 

maze to the 

ball? 


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AZTO 

with 

Ciarán Frawley 

A – Action: If you could be a superhero, which 

would you be? 

Spider Man 

B – Boyhood: Who was your favourite 

sporting idol growing up? 

Edwin van der Sar 

C – Childhood: What is your favourite 

childhood memory? 

Playing “execution” on the green with all my 

mates during the summer. 

D – Dish: What’s your go-to pre-match meal? 

Stack of pancakes with berry compote. 

E – Education: What was your favourite 

subject in school? 

Maths or construction. Always felt the day 

would fly by! 

F – Film buff: What’s your favourite film? 

The Green Mile. 

G – Groove: Who is the best dancer in the 

squad? 

Peter Dooley was the best…we’ll see at 

Awards Ball who steps up in his place. 

H – Holiday: What’s your favourite holiday 

destination? 

France or Greece. 

I – Inside: Who is the worst to sit beside in the 

dressing room? 

Caelan Doris by a mile. Garlic chat and awful 

smell. 

J – Joker: Who is the funniest in the squad? 

Alex Soroka 

K – Kick-off: What’s your favourite time of 

the day to play a match? 

5pm. Not too late and not too early. 

L – Languages: How many languages can you 

speak? 

One. 

M – Music: Your favourite artist and song 

right now? 

Dave - Psycho 

N – Number: Do you have a lucky number? 

No 


O – Others: What’s your favourite 

sport outside of rugby? 

Golf 

P – Pal: Who is your best mate in 

the squad? 

Michael Milne. He’d only give out if 

I didn’t say him. 

Q – Quirky: Who has the most 

interesting fashion sense? 

Will Connors. 

R – Red Carpet: Who is the most 

famous contact in your phone? 

Peter Dooley. Still Peter Dooley. The 

man was made for the red carpet. 

S – Superstitions: Do you have any 

matchday routines? 

Not on match day but I try to get a 

good feed into me the night before 

a game. 

T – Trim: What’s the worst haircut 

you’ve ever had? 

Shaving my head. Looked like a 

tennis ball for a number of weeks. 

U: Under pressure: Who in the 

squad would be the best in a bad 

situation? 

Jordan Larmour. He’d somehow 

find a way out. 

V – Verified: How often do you use 

social media? 

Almost every day just to keep up 

with what’s happening around the 

world. 

W – Worst fear: What are you most 

scared of? 

Two foot putts in golf. 

X – X-ray: Have you ever broken 

any bones? 

No…thankfully! A few other 

injuries though unfortunately. 

Y – Youth: Where did you grow up? 

Skerries, Co. Dublin 

Z – Zoo: What’s your favourite 

animal? 

Dogs. No question. 100% 


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Gonzaga win Senior Cup 

for the first time! 

BY DES BERRY 

Gonzaga College 35 

Blackrock College 31 

Surely, there can 

be no better way 

to shed the tag 

of ‘nearly men’ 

than to outplay 

the kingpins in a 

classic Bank of 

Ireland Leinster 

Schools final 

at The RDS on St 

Patrick’s Day. 

Captain Paul Wilson walked 

forward to cradle Gonzaga’s first 

Senior Cup after a journey that 

started long before the players 

were born. 

From the moment Conor O’Shaughnessy 

fielded Hugo McLaughlin’s garryowen, 

Blackrock powered through a series of 

phases from their own 22, using the inside 

ball from out-half O’Shaughnessy to a 

barrage of runners. 

It exposed vulnerability on the fringes, the 

inevitable try coming from number eight 

Tom Brigg for Oliver Coffey to convert in 

the third minute. 

The sense of deja vu from last year 

was quickly dispelled when Stephen 

McMahon pierced the cover to have 

‘Rock on their heels, a penalty coming 

their way. 

It wasn’t a day to play the percentages. 

The ball was angled to touch where the 

maul was stalled. 

No matter, a flat ball to McLaughlin was 

all that was needed for the full-back to 

bounce a tackle, McMahon’s conversion 

tying it up. 

It was a million miles an hour as 

Blackrock tracked McLaughlin’s glorious 

lines, leaving room for hooker Luke 

McLaughlin to make a burst. 

Twice Gonzaga was given penalties for 

educated pressure. Twice, they came to 

nothing. Even so, they were taking the 

fight to the champions. 

Once the wheels of ‘Rock’s carrying 

game were put in motion, the undeniable 

power through contact made it easier to 

generate metres. 


A maul made in heaven surged to the 

line where Mikey Wall miraculously 

did enough to force a fumble from 

Mikey Yarr, soon followed by Charlie 

Molony being held up over the line by 

Wilson. 

This desperate defence couldn’t go on, 

Luke Kritzinger blowing through Finn 

O’Neill and captain Coffey taking a high 

hit before turning it into the lead points for 

10-7 in the 25th minute. 

Jody Browne’s refusal to go to ground 

bought time for Gonzaga to make their 

play, Tom Wyley’s footwork expiring a 

soft shoulder. 

The pressure produced a penalty and, 

quick as a flash, McMahon tapped and 

took the ball in between Brigg and Tom 

O’Riordan for the fly-half to also add the 

extras for the lead in the 27th minute. 

McMahon was at it again, seeing 

the space in behind, to trouble 

O’Shaughnessy with a glorious grubber. 

The chase from JP Breslin was Olympian, 

Luke McLaughlin popping the ball up for 

McMahon to have the presence of mind 

to veer inwards, making his conversion a 

formality for 21-10 at the break. 

Blackrock had first shot at making an 

impact, Tom Wyley coraling Kritzinger for 

the concession of a penalty which was 

used to put Gonzaga in a bind. 

Again, the momentum from phase play 

was just too much for a soaking defence, 

Tom O’Riordan grounding the ball for 

Coffey to convert. 

And then. A thing of beauty. A rehearsed 

move from a scrum, involving McMahon 

and McLaughlin, culminated in the 

final pass for Breslin to do the honours, 

McMahon striking the conversion in the 

43rd minute. 

Blackrock were on the ropes. They 

needed a reaction. They got it. Full-back 

Molony smuggled the restart and the 

big boys did their duty, tight-head Alex 

Mullan having the leg drive to claim the 

try, Coffey converting for 28-24 in the 

45th minute. 

The ball was flying around, every pass 

greeted with the anticipation of something 

wonderful or wicked happening, the 

frenzied crowd rising and reseating 

accordingly. 

The brutal carrying of the forwards, led 

by Brigg, opened the door for Coffey to 

put Mullan in for his second seven-pointer 

to grab the lead in the 55th minute. 

It was Gonzaga ‘s turn to chase. James 

O’Dwyer came into the game. Centres 

Aidan O’Flanagan and Browne cut lines. 

Eoghan Walsh stole the ball on the floor. 

Wilson was held up over the whitewash. 

They kept their nerve, however, 

McMahon marshalling an attack to put 

Patrick Masterson through a hole and 

O’Dwyer slipped the ball to Tom Wyley 

for a try, converted by McMahon, that 

will live long in the memory. 

Scorers: Gonzaga – S McMahon 2 tries, 

5 cons; T Wyley, H McLaughlin. JP Breslin 

try each. 

Blackrock – A Mullan 2 tries; T Brigg, T 

O’Riordan, try each; O Coffey pen, 4 

cons. 

Gonzaga College: Hugo McLaughlin; JP 

Breslin, Aidan O’Flanagan (Samuel Inglis 

68), Jody Browne, Mikey Wall (Patrick 

Masterson 58); Stephen McMahon, 

Tom Brophy (James O’Dwyer 57); Finn 

O’Neill (Patrick O’Brien 66), Luke 

McLaughlin, Adam McVerry (Jamie Shiel 

58), Jamie Kennedy, Tom Wyley, Charlie 

Kennedy (Morgan Tyrrell 57), Gavin 

O’Grady, Paul Wilson (Capt). 

Blackrock College: Charlie Molony; 

James O’Sullivan, Luke Kritzinger, Mark 

Walsh (Andrew Quinn 47), Eoghan 

Walsh; Conor O’Shaughnessy (Harry 

Whelan 68), Oliver Coffey (Capt), Tom 

O’Riordan, Mikey Yarr, Alex Mullan, 

Michael Colreavy, Tommy Butler, Conor 

Tonge (Conall Hodges 49), Jack Angulo 

Tom Brigg (Donnacha McGuire 65). 

Referee: P Reidy, Leinster Branch. 


leinster 

squad 2022/23 

season 

Vakhtang Abdaladze #1263 

Prop 

DOB 6 Feb 1996 

HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 

WEIGHT 121kg (19st 1 lb) 

3 

CAPS 

Michael Ala’alatoa #1301 

12 

CAPS 

Prop 

DOB 28 August 1991 

HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 

WEIGHT 126kg (19st 11lbs) 

Ryan Baird #1278 

Second Row 

DOB 26 July 1999 

HEIGHT 1.98m (6’ 6”) 


11 

CAPS 

Ed Byrne #1222 

Prop 

DOB 9 September 1993 

HEIGHT 1.80m (5’ 11”) 

WEIGHT 115kg (18st) 

6 

CAP 

Harry Byrne #1280 

Outhalf 

DOB 22 April 1999 

HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 


2 

CAPS 

Ross Byrne #1236 

Out-half 


HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 


19 

CAPS 

Thomas Clarkson #1285 

Prop 

DOB 22 February 2000 

HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 


Jack Conan #1223 

38 

CAPS 

7 

CAPS 

No 8 


HEIGHT 1.93m (6’ 4”) 

WEIGHT 110kg (17st 4 lbs) 


Will Connors #1264 

9 

CAPS 

Max Deegan #1256 

2 

CAPS 

Brian Deeny #1306 

Caelan Doris #1268 

28 

CAPS 

Back Row 


HEIGHT 1.96 (6’ 5”) 


No 8 

DOB 1 October 1996 

HEIGHT 1.93m (6’ 4”) 


Second Row 

DOB 2 March 2000 

HEIGHT 1.99m (6’ 6”) 


Back Row 


HEIGHT 1.94m (6’ 4”) 


Cormac Foley #1299 

Scrum-half 


HEIGHT 1.81m (5’ 11 ”) 

WEIGHT 90kg (14 st 2 lbs) 

Ciarán Frawley #1265 

Out-half 

DOB 4 December 1997 

HEIGHT 1.92m (6’ 3”) 


Tadhg Furlong #1220 

Prop 

DOB 14 November 1992 

HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 


65 

CAPS 

13 

CAPS 

Jamison Gibson-Park #1247 

Scrum-half 


HEIGHT 1.76m (5’ 9”) 


25 

CAPS 

Cian Healy #1142 

123 

CAPS 

2 

CAPS 

Robbie Henshaw #1251 

63 

CAPS 

9 

CAPS 

Jason Jenkins #1310 

1 

CAP 

Dave Kearney #1158 

19 

CAPS 

Prop 


HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 


Centre / Full Back 

DOB 12 June 1993 

HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 


Lock 

DOB 2 December 1995 

HEIGHT 2.03 m (6’ 8”) 


Wing / Full Back 


HEIGHT 1.81m (5’ 11”) 


Hugo Keenan #1253 

30 

CAPS 

Rónan Kelleher #1277 

21 

CAPS 

Jordan Larmour #1258 

30 

CAPS 

James Lowe #1262 

20 

CAPS 

Full Back 


HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 


Hooker 

DOB 24 January 1998 

HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 0”) 


Wing 


HEIGHT 1.78m (5’ 10”) 


Wing / Full Back 


HEIGHT 1.88m (6’ 2”) 



Joe McCarthy #1303 

1 

CAP 

Nick McCarthy #1241 

Tadgh McElroy #1312 

Luke McGrath #1206 

19 

CAPS 

Second Row 


HEIGHT 1.98m (6’ 6”) 


Scrum Half 


HEIGHT 1.8m (5’ 11”) 


Hooker 

DOB 16 June1997 

HEIGHT 1.78m (5’ 10’) 

WEIGHT 103kg (16st, 2lbs) 

Scrum Half 


HEIGHT 1.75m (5’ 9”) 


Michael Milne #1279 

Martin Moloney #1300 

Ross Molony #1233 

Charlie Ngatai #1311 

1 

CAP 

Prop 


HEIGHT 1.83m (6’ 0”) 


Back Row 


HEIGHT 1.88m (6’ 2”) 


Lock 

DOB 11 May 1994 

HEIGHT 2.00m (6’ 6”) 


Centre / Full Back 


HEIGHT 1.87 m (6’ 2”) 


Jimmy O’Brien #1272 

5 

CAPS 

Tommy O’Brien #1283 

Jamie Osborne #1294 

Scott Penny #1271 

Back Three 


HEIGHT 1.84m (6’ 0”) 


Wing 

DOB 28 May 1998 

HEIGHT 1.83m (6’ 0”) 


Centre 


HEIGHT 1.93m (6’ 4”) 

WEIGHT 97.5kg (15st 5lbs) 

Flanker 


HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 


Andrew Porter #1246 

53 

CAPS 

Garry Ringrose #1237 

50 

CAPS 

Rhys Ruddock #1167 

27 

CAPS 

Charlie Ryan 

Prop 


HEIGHT 1.84m (6’ 1”) 


Centre 


HEIGHT 1.87m (6’ 2”) 


Back Row 


HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 


Lock 


HEIGHT 2.01m (6’ 7”) 



James Ryan #1259 

53 

CAPS 

Johnny Sexton #1127 

113 

CAPS 

14 

CAPS 

Dan Sheehan #1286 

17 

CAPS 

James Tracy #1211 

6 

CAPS 

Lock 


HEIGHT 2.00m (6’ 7”) 


Out-half 


HEIGHT 1.88m (6’ 2”) 


Hooker 


HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 


Hooker 


HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 1”) 


Liam Turner #1287 

Centre 


HEIGHT 1.73m (5’ 8”) 


Josh van der Flier #1228 

50 

CAPS 

Flanker 


HEIGHT 1.87m (6’ 2”) 


for full squad profiles 

please scan this qr code 

Coaching 

Staff 2022/23 

Stuart 

Lancaster 

Senior Coach 

season 

Leo Cullen 

Head 

Coach 

Emmet 

Farrell 

Kicking Coach and 

Lead Performance Analyst 

Robin 

McBryde 

Assistant Coach 

SEÁN 

O’BRIEN 

CONTACT SKILLS Coach 

ANDREW 

GOODMAN 

ASSISTANT COACH 

Guy 

Easterby 

Head of Rugby Operations 


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Bank of Ireland 

Leinster Rugby Summer 

Camps launch for 2023! 

The 2023 Bank 

of Ireland 

Leinster Rugby 

Summer Camps 

have officially 

launched, with 

29 camps to 

choose from 

around the 12 

counties. 

The summer camps are open to 

girls and boys aged six to 12 and 

all of the camps are run by fully 

accredited IRFU coaches. Each 

camp runs from Monday to Friday 

and from 9.30am to 1pm. 

The summer camps, which will take place 

in 28 different locations all across the 

province in July and August, offer children 

the chance to learn to play the Leinster 

way while having plenty of fun! 

Leinster Rugby have also announced that 

with the change in the rugby schedule 

this summer due to the Rugby World Cup, 

Leinster Rugby players will once again be 

available and will make appearances at 

this year’s summer camps. 

There are also a number of new venues 

added reflecting the growth in popularity 

of the camps, including; Rathfarnham/ 

Stillorgan, Birr, Carlingford Knights, 

Carlow and Roscrea rugby clubs. 

Ray McCabe, Leinster Rugby Summer 

Camp Co-ordinator, said, “We’re thrilled 

to have Bank of Ireland on board again 

as the title sponsor of our Leinster Rugby 

summer camps. 

“And it’s brilliant as well to have the 

Leinster Rugby players back visiting 

our camps. The players playing for Leo 

Cullen and for Tania Rosser, they are the 

stars of the show and it’s a real bonus to 

have them back visiting our camps and 

inspiring all the boys and girls. 

“We know from the feedback we receive 

that the kids really enjoy meeting the 

players and we look forward to having 

them back this summer.” 

As well as learning to play the Leinster 

way, making new friends and having lots 

of fun, each child will also receive a pack 

including a rugby training t-shirt, a Rhino 

rugby ball and a boot bag. 

They will also get one free ticket to a 

selected Leinster Rugby game. 

The cost of attending the camp will be 

€90 per child. 

For more information, and to book your 

place before it’s too late, click HERE. 


Scan to sign up for 

Welcome to the new weekly rugby newsletter from 

The Irish Times led by rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley. 

This newsletter provides exclusive additional coverage 

of international rugby, the Champions Cup, URC 

and women’s rugby, as well as a selection 

of our best rugby articles from the week. 

THE IRISH TIMES 

PROUD MEDIA PARTNER OF LEINSTER RUGBY

Roscrea 

Inclusivity 

to Kick Off 

BY CIARA MAHER 

Last month, Roscrea 

RFC officially launched 

their new Additional 

Needs Tag Rugby Team. 

In the coming weeks, the club will 

run a competition within schools 

in the area to name and design 

the logo for this new addition. 

These new teams will provide 

an inclusive and enjoyable 

experience for those with 

additional needs, allowing them 

to participate in a fun and socially 

engaging sport. 

On the night, Roscrea RFC Youths 

Leinster Rugby 

are delighted 

to welcome 

St Colmcilles 

CS to the RDS 

this evening. 

Coordinator - Darren Bayliss welcomed 

guests and provided a comprehensive 

overview of the club's plans for the 

future and the ethos of how these 

new additional needs teams and how 

they will be designed entirely around 

encompassing inclusivity, camaraderie 

and fun to create a safe and supportive 

environment for all players, regardless 

of their abilities or experience to a wellrepresented 

crowd of parents and local 

service providers. 

The club welcomes expressions of interest 

from new members and wants to expand 

its reach in the coming months. The new 

Tag Rugby teams aim to become the 

premier Additional Needs Tag Rugby 

team in the area and hopes to continue 

fostering a welcoming environment for all. 

For more information, please get 

in touch with Darren Bayliss at 

youthcoodroscrearfc@gmail.com 

St Colmcilles win 

Inclusion Competition 

The school took part in Leinster’s 

Inclusivity Committee School 

Survey earlier this season. 

St Colmcilles Junior Rugby Team became 

Leinster Champions in Energia Park on 

December 15 against Mountrath CS in 

the Division 3A JCT Development Shield 

Final. It was a greay display of rugby 

was shown by these talented young boys 

only after starting rugby in the school two 

months prior. 

Winning this has fuelled their desire to 

compete at a higher level and are now 

entered into the Junior B league, where 

they will play at a very competitive level. 

We wish the team the best of luck to the 

boys in their upcoming season, and hope 

they enjoy their night in the RDS. 


compiled by stuart farmer 

media services limited 

Leinster Player 

SQUAD CAP NO DEBUT 

Statistics 

2022/23 SEASON FOR LEINSTER LEINSTER CAREER 

ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR 

App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts 

SINCE LAST TRY 

CAPS 

VAKHTANG ABDALADZE 1263 2 DEC 17 0+8 - - 0+8 - - - - - 0+25 2 10 0+24 2 10 0+1 - - 10 GEO 3 

MICHAEL ALA'ALATOA 1301 25 SEP 21 15+1 2 10 11+1 1 5 4 1 5 27+14 5 25 22+7 3 15 5+7 2 10 1 WS 12 

AITZOL ARENZANA-KING 1316 28 JAN 23 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - - 

RYAN BAIRD 1278 27 APR 19 8+2 2 10 6+1 2 10 2+1 - - 27+21 9 45 23+15 9 45 4+6 - - 3 IR 11 

LEE BARRON 1308 23 APR 22 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 0+4 - - 0+4 - - - - - - - 

JACK BOYLE 1317 18 FEB 23 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - - - 

BEN BROWNLEE 1313 28 OCT 22 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - - 

ED BYRNE 1222 9 FEB 14 4+4 1 5 4+2 - - 0+2 1 5 31+62 13 65 31+47 11 55 0+15 2 10 2 IR 6 

HARRY BYRNE 1280 28 SEP 19 4+5 2 53 4+2 2 43 0+3 - 10 25+20 8 236 25+16 8 221 0+4 - 15 2 IR 2 

ROSS BYRNE 1236 4 SEP 15 11+4 - 99 7+4 - 67 4 - 32 96+47 9 925 78+25 4 663 18+22 5 262 26 IR 19 

TOM CLARKSON 1285 29 AUG 20 2+4 1 5 2+4 1 5 - - - 8+16 1 5 8+16 1 5 - - - 5 - 

JACK CONAN 1223 20 FEB 14 6+4 - - 4+2 - - 2+2 - - 97+30 25 125 67+18 16 80 30+12 9 45 20 IR 38 

WILL CONNORS 1264 9 FEB 18 1+6 - - 1+6 - - - - - 19+13 2 10 18+13 2 10 1 - - 19 IR 9 

CHRIS COSGRAVE 1305 26 MAR 22 2+1 1 5 2+1 1 5 - - - 3+2 1 5 3+2 1 5 - - - 3 - 

JAMES CULHANE 1315 28 JAN 23 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - - 

MAX DEEGAN 1256 3 DEC 16 8+1 2 10 8 2 10 0+1 - - 51+42 26 130 48+29 24 120 3+13 2 10 1 IR 2 

BRIAN DEENY 1306 23 APR 22 4+4 2 10 4+3 2 10 0+1 - - 6+4 2 10 6+3 2 10 0+1 - - 3 - 

CAELAN DORIS 1268 28 APR 18 8+1 2 10 4+1 - - 4 2 10 55+9 10 50 37+7 6 30 18+2 4 20 2 IR 28 

CORMAC FOLEY 1299 24 APR 21 2+4 1 5 2+4 1 5 - - - 4+7 2 10 4+7 2 10 - - - 4 - 

CIARAN FRAWLEY 1265 17 FEB 18 3+2 - 9 3+2 - 9 - - - 34+27 7 188 31+19 5 172 3+8 2 16 7 - 

TADHG FURLONG 1220 1 NOV 13 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - 86+43 10 50 48+35 3 15 38+8 7 35 8 IR 65 

JAMISON GIBSON-PARK 1247 2 SEP 16 5+1 - - 2 - - 3+1 - - 65+57 22 110 51+30 15 75 14+27 7 35 8 IR 25 

MARCUS HANAN 1295 19 FEB 21 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - 0+4 - - 0+4 - - - - - - - 

CIAN HEALY 1142 5 MAY 07 4+6 - - 4+2 - - 0+4 - - 164+95 30 150 97+58 16 80 65+36 13 65 11 IR 123 

ROBBIE HENSHAW 1251 8 OCT 16 4+1 1 5 4+1 1 5 - - - 70+3 17 85 33+2 8 40 37+1 9 45 3 IR 63 

JASON JENKINS 1310 17 SEP 22 9+2 2 10 8+2 2 10 1 - - 9+2 2 10 8+2 2 10 1 - - 8 SA 1 

DAVE KEARNEY 1158 16 MAY 09 8 3 15 8 3 15 - - - 158+23 55 275 132+16 48 240 25+6 7 35 1 IR 19 

HUGO KEENAN 1253 5 NOV 16 7 4 20 3 1 5 4 3 15 48+3 13 65 31+3 6 30 17 7 35 1 IR 30 

RONAN KELLEHER 1277 22 FEB 19 6+3 4 20 4+1 1 5 2+2 3 15 35+10 17 85 20+6 12 60 15+4 5 25 2 IR 21 

JORDAN LARMOUR 1258 2 SEP 17 10+1 5 25 8 3 15 2+1 2 10 74+11 32 160 48+7 23 115 26+4 9 45 2 IR 30 

TEMI LASISI 1304 12 MAR 22 - - - - - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - - 


SQUAD CAP NO DEBUT 


ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR 

App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts App Try Pts 

SINCE LAST TRY 

CAPS 

JAMES LOWE 1262 2 DEC 17 4 3 15 2 1 5 2 2 10 67+2 50 250 41+1 29 145 26+1 21 105 2 IR 20 

JOE MCCARTHY 1303 29 JAN 22 3+3 - - 2+2 - - 1+1 - - 11+6 1 5 10+2 1 5 1+4 - - 8 IR 1 

NICK MCCARTHY 1241 19 DEC 15 1+11 - - 1+10 - - 0+1 - - 10+48 5 25 10+41 5 25 0+7 - - 18 - 

TADGH MCELROY 1312 28 OCT 22 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - - - 

LUKE MCGRATH 1206 5 MAY 12 11+3 7 35 10+1 6 30 1+2 1 5 125+64 48 240 89+50 39 195 36+14 9 45 2 IR 19 

JOHN MCKEE 1307 23 APR 22 4+7 2 10 4+7 2 10 - - - 6+8 2 10 6+8 2 10 - - - 6 - 

MICHAEL MILNE 1279 28 SEP 19 4+6 3 15 4+4 3 15 0+2 - - 5+22 5 25 5+20 5 25 0+2 - - 1 - 

MARTIN MOLONEY 1300 24 APR 21 0+3 - - 0+3 - - - - - 2+8 - - 2+8 - - - - - - - 

ROSS MOLONY 1233 20 FEB 15 13+5 - - 11+3 - - 2+2 - - 95+62 5 25 83+45 4 20 12+17 1 5 34 - 

BEN MURPHY 1309 21 MAY 22 - - - - - - - - - 0+1 - - 0+1 - - - - - - - 

CHARLIE NGATAI 1311 17 SEP 22 9+2 - - 7+2 - - 2 - - 9+2 - - 7+2 - - 2 - - - NZ 1 

JAMIE OSBORNE 1294 30 JAN 21 10+2 1 5 8+1 - - 2+1 1 5 23+8 2 10 21+7 1 5 2+1 1 5 4 - 

JIMMY O'BRIEN 1272 23 NOV 18 13 3 15 9 1 5 4 2 10 56+10 19 99 43+9 11 59 13+1 8 40 2 IR 5 

SEAN O'BRIEN 1297 12 MAR 21 - - - - - - - - - 0+3 - - 0+3 - - - - - - - 

TOMMY O'BRIEN 1283 20 DEC 19 - - - - - - - - - 10+11 6 30 10+9 6 30 0+2 - - 2 - 

MAX O'REILLY 1291 2 JAN 21 2 1 5 2 1 5 - - - 10+1 2 10 10+1 2 10 - - - 1 - 

SCOTT PENNY 1271 23 NOV 18 9+2 4 20 9+1 4 20 0+1 - - 43+9 27 135 43+8 27 135 0+1 - - 1 - 

ANDREW PORTER 1246 2 SEP 16 8+4 3 15 4+4 2 10 4 1 5 49+54 17 85 33+35 12 60 16+19 5 25 6 IR 53 

GARRY RINGROSE 1237 12 SEP 15 10+1 6 30 6+1 4 20 4 2 10 110+3 36 188 66+2 23 123 44+1 13 65 1 IR 50 

RHYS RUDDOCK 1167 6 DEC 09 9 3 15 9 3 15 - - - 165+54 15 75 127+35 13 65 37+17 2 10 2 IR 27 

ROB RUSSELL 1302 3 OCT 21 6+4 8 40 6+4 8 40 - - - 9+6 8 40 9+6 8 40 - - - 2 - 

CHARLIE RYAN - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

JAMES RYAN 1259 2 SEP 17 8+3 1 5 4+3 - - 4 1 5 60+9 4 20 31+4 1 5 29+5 3 15 5 IR 53 

JOHNNY SEXTON 1127 27 JAN 06 3+2 1 32 3+1 1 30 0+1 - 2 159+30 27 1646 92+22 14 887 65+8 12 728 4 I R 113 

DAN SHEEHAN 1286 23 OCT 20 9+3 9 45 7+1 8 40 2+2 1 5 18+23 25 125 15+14 21 105 3+9 4 20 3 IR 17 

ANDREW SMITH 1292 2 JAN 21 - - - - - - - - - 1+1 - - 1+1 - - - - - - - 

ALEX SOROKA 1296 28 FEB 21 0+2 - - 0+2 - - - - - 2+5 - - 2+5 - - - - - - - 

CHARLIE TECTOR 1314 28 OCT 22 0+5 1 9 0+5 1 9 - - - 0+5 1 9 0+5 1 9 - - - 2 - 

JAMES TRACY 1211 4 NOV 12 - - - - - - - - - 64+77 18 90 57+48 17 85 7+29 1 5 5 IR 6 

LIAM TURNER 1287 23 OCT 20 7+2 2 10 7+1 2 10 0+1 - - 11+4 2 10 11+3 2 10 0+1 - - 3 - 

JOSH VAN DER FLIER 1228 11 OCT 14 9+1 7 35 5+1 2 10 4 5 25 99+25 25 125 57+19 10 50 42+6 15 75 1 IR 50 

KICKING 


SUCCESS 

ALL GAMES URC EPCR ALL GAMES PRO14/URC EPCR OVERALL 

RATE C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG C PG DG ATT Career % 

HARRY BYRNE 70.00% 20 1 - 15 1 - 5 - - 83 10 - 77 9 - 6 1 - 122 76.23% 

ROSS BYRNE 83.93% 42 5 - 26 5 - 16 - - 296 95 1 221 66 1 75 29 - 496 78.83% 

CIARAN FRAWLEY 100.00% 3 1 - 3 1 - - - - 57 13 - 54 13 - 3 - - 84 83.33% 

JIMMY O'BRIEN - - - - - - - - - - 2 - - 2 - - - - - 4 50.00% 

GARRY RINGROSE - - - - - - - - - - 4 - - 4 - - - - - 6 66.67% 

JOHNNY SEXTON 68.42% 12 1 - 11 1 - 1 - - 277 308 11 140 172 7 130 132 4 733 79.81% 

CHARLIE TECTOR 66.67% 2 - - 2 - - - - - 2 - - 2 - - - - - 3 66.67% 


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Bank of Ireland 

Match Day Mascots 

Conor Brady 

Rhys James Bolger 

Séimí Canny 

Bobby Connolly 

Matthew Earlie 

Elizabeth Earlie 

Jamie Fenlon 

Archie Kearney 

Isla Kearney 

Freddie Morrissey 

Alexander Norton 

Danny O’Keeffe 

Jack O’Keeffe 

Rhys Robinson 

Charlie Strahan

ig picture 

18 March 2023 

It’s a family affair! Leinster and 

Ireland teammates Jimmy O’Brien, 

Caelan Doris and Hugo Keenan 

celebrate with family and friends 

after the Guinness Six Nations 

Rugby Championship match 

between Ireland and England at 

Aviva Stadium in Dublin. 


Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile 


Thank you 

to all the rugby volunteers 

& behind-the-scenes heroes. 

You make the 

game we love possible. 

Think of the Possibilities

offical leinster 

supporters club 

Welcome back to the RDS for 

the final URC group stage 

match of the season. 

What a weekend for Irish Rugby 

last week! It was fantastic to see 

both the Irish Senior team and 

the U20s team crowned Grand 

Slam champions on home soil on 

St. Patrick’s Weekend. 

We want to give a special milestone 

mention since our last game for Garry 

Ringrose and Josh van der Flier who 

both earned their 50th cap for Ireland 

and to Johnny Sexton for setting a new 

record for the highest points scorer in the 

history of the Championship. Massive 

congratulations to everyone involved 

in both competitions and wishing all 

those who sustained an injury a speedy 

recovery. 

So, it’s Friday night lights here tonight in 

the RDS, where we welcome our visitors 

the DHL Stormers who have made the 

trip from Cape Town in South Africa. The 

Stormers are the current URC Champions 

and come to Dublin to try and break our 

winning record in the URC competition. 

We met the Stormers last year in April 

when Leinster made the inaugural trip to 

Cape Town last April. 

Unfortunately, we lost that day 20-13, but 

we did manage a losing bonus point. It’s 

a top-of-the-table clash here in the RDS 


tonight, and Leinster will want to keep 

that unbeaten streak in order to keep 

that all-important home advantage as 

we progress to the Knockout stages. So, 

grab a flag, grab a drum, and let’s make 

the stadium blue and noisy as we shout 

the team on. 

There are lots of fun things happening 

in the RDS tonigh. The Laya drummers 

are back, and we also have given out 

Bodhrans and drums to create lots of 

noise all around the RDS. We have live 

music in the Guinness Fanzone, Player 

Q&A, and lots more going on. 

The OLSC Shop is well stocked but 

will only be open until kickoff, as we 

have to get ready for our 2023 Legend 

T-Shirt launch. Can you guess who it 

is? Well, listen out for the announcement 

at halftime where the identity will be 

revealed, followed by a post-match Q&A 

in the Guinness Fanzone with the Legend 

himself where he will unveil our 2023 

T-shirt. 

All proceeds from the sale will go to our 

nominated charity partner Jigsaw. A big 

shout out, and thanks goes to the t-shirt 

designer David Cahill who has come up 

with all these amazing designs over the 

years and gives his time voluntarily. We 

are very excited to return to the Aviva 

Stadium next weekend for our Round of 

16 knock-out match against Ulster Rugby 

in the Heineken Champions Cup. Thanks 

to the hospitality of Lansdowne Rugby 

Club we are moving the OLSC Fanzone 

to the club for that game. 

Watch out on social media for all our 

events planned there, that includes flags, 

face painters, and a big screen to show 

the games in the build-up to ours. Once 

again, a big thanks to all our volunteers 

who help us out regularly, we just couldn’t 

do any of it without your help. 

If you would like to help out, please reach 

out, we will need lots of help over the 

coming weeks. Please tag us in any of 

your photos from the day #OLSC. As 

always, we’re thankful for the support we 

as a committee get from Leinster Rugby, 

Bank of Ireland, Laya, Guinness, and all 

our other sponsors and we encourage 

you to show your support through our 

social media channels. 

Be loud, be true, be blue! 

Yours in Rugby, 

The OLSC Committee 

olsc@leisterrugby.ie

Mental health support... 

CHARITY PARTNER 

2022/23 

At Jigsaw, we understand and support young 

people’s mental health. 

Both online and in person, we give advice and support to 

help young people aged 12 to 25 years-old. 

jigsaw.ie 

Jigsaw is a registered charity in Ireland.

Be a Sport - Play 

Rugby is launched 

in Kildare 

Des Kavanagh Past President IRFU: 

Kevin Greene Co Author: John 

Walsh Co Author: Philip Lawlor 

Development Manager Leinster Rugby 

The legendary 

John B Keane 

stated 

“There’s 

a book in 

everyone. It’s 

not always 

necessary to 

publish it” 


Authors and compilers of “Be 

a Sport - Play Rugby – a guide 

to rugby in the North Midlands 

Area” can be justifiably proud of 

their achievement in producing 

a booklet that is a must buy for 

all fans of the game. It is a fitting 

tribute to the development of the 

sport in the North Midlands Area 

that currently consists of a total 

of ten clubs. that encompasses an 

area that stretches from Kilcock 

to Athy and from Blessington to 

Portarlington. 

The eighty-page booklet was officially 

launched in the Silken Thomas, Kildare, 

by IRFU Past President Des Kavanagh and 

Irish international Philip Lawlor (Leinster 

Rugby Development Manager). They 

congratulated authors Kevin Greene 

(Secretary and Press Officer of the 

North Midlands Area) and John Walsh 

(President Leinster Rugby 2020/22) 

on a publication that has succeeded in 

promoting all aspects of game in the 

North Midlands Area from Mini Rugby to 

the Irish international rugby stage that so 

many players from the Area have graced. 

“The response to the magazine has been 

positive and most rewarding for the 

effort that Kevin and I have put into the 

project. We have copies already making 

their way to Australia, New Zealand, 

Boston, Kentucky, Wales and England to

Lorraine Casey Grey Athy RFC: 

Eibhlin Smith Portarlington RFC: 

Anne Connelly Newbridge RFC 

Moira Flahive Chair Inclusivity 

Committee Leinster Rugby 

former players that were involved with 

the clubs in the Area” stated John Walsh 

on a project that commenced as a result 

of the Covid Pandemic when sport was 

suspended. 

Each of the ten clubs based in the Area 

has been profiled in detail, as have 

the results from the Area competitions. 

The important contribution that 

Referees from the Area have made 

in addition to the dedication of the 

Club administrators and Volunteers 

are also recognised for their efforts 

in developing the sport in their 

communities. 

The individual players from the North 

Midlands who have gone on to play 

with Leinster Youths and Girls U18s 

since the inception of the Inter-Area 

Competitions are recognised, along 

with the Girls from the Area who have 

gone on to play adult rugby for Leinster, 

Ireland 7s and Ireland Emerging 7s. 

Speaking at the launch, Kevin Greene 

said that; “as an Area, we continue to 

support a number of ideals which are 

important to the Rugby Family. Organ 

Donor Programmes have impacted on 

many families in the Area. Clubs are 

encouraged to display Organ Donor 

Cards in their clubhouses, highlighting the 

importance of Organ Donation”. 

He further drew attention to the role of 

the IRFU Charitable Trust, which helps 

support seriously injured players. In 

addition to encouraging membership 

of the “Friends of the IRFU Charitable 

Trust”, he drew attention to an 

upcoming event – “Rugby World 

Cup, France 2023, Walk and Cycle”. 

Contact with the Trust can be made 

through linda.black@irfu.ie. 

In addition to the large attendance 

from all the Area clubs we were 

joined by Moira Flahive (Chair 

of the Leinster Rugby Inclusivity 

Committee), Karl O’Neill (Chair 

of the Leinster Rugby Committee), 

Robert Mc Dermott (Past President 

Leinster Rugby) who published the 

booklet and Philip Lawlor (Rugby 

Development Manager Leinster 

Rugby). 


Naas players and 

coaches take their 

journey to the RDS 

As coaches we are just sorry all of our 

52 players at U12s could not take to the 

pitch this evening. We have watched 

them grow from the age of 5 and 6 years 

of age. 

We know the players have come on, 

but what about the coaches? The Naas 

U12s coaches have come a long way 

too (some further than others). As all eight 

of us gathered for the Leinster Rugby 

coaching course we did not know what 

was ahead of us back then. 

BY JACK KEEGAN (NAAS RFC) 

There were, the ex-Rugby players 

showing off, the ex-GAA players 

throwing shapes, the ex-Boxer wanting 

to throw a punch or two and the rugby 

virgins, terrified. We all learned together, 

sometimes having more fun than our 

players along the way. Participation for 

all is to the fore of all of what we do in 

Naas. 

From the introduction to rugby group - 

“The Rattlers”, the mixed ability group 

- “The Vipers”, right through the age 

groups, boys and girls are all given 

the chance to play this game with the 

guidance of lots of parents who have 

become rugby coaches. 

What is important to us as the Naas RFC 

U12’s coaches is that we are teaching 

them more than how best to play a game. 

We instil in our players the importance to 

show what we are made of individually 

and as a group, in preparation, during 

the game and also after the final whistle. 

We are learning more about the players 

as individuals and, that this sport and this 

team can mean more to them than the 

couple of hours spent on a pitch every 

week. 

Like coaches the length and breadth 

of this country, of all sports, we are 

dedicated to our players. We share 

the highs and lows on the pitch. As our 

players mature in different ways over the 

years to come we will prepare and equip 

ourselves. 

Support from our own club in Naas is 

immense. Talking to mini coaches who 

have gone before us, it allows us to 

dream of the next Jamie Osborne or 

Oscar Cawley who, we may have had a 

small input into a growing rugby career. 

Support from the lads in Leinster Rugby, 

the CRO and CCRO have given our 

coaches great guidance as we introduce 

new facets of the game to our players. 

We wish our 20 players who are taking 

the field the best of luck this evening 

but more, we are proud to have the 52 

players of our squad here – it shows what 

we are made of. 

We are the ones in green and white, 

North stand, give us a wave! 


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WHERE 

ARE 

THEY 

NOW? 

tony BY DES BERRY 

ryan 

THEN - Tony 

played once 

for Leinster 

against 

Scarlets in 

2015. 

NOW - He lives 

with his 

fiance Laura 

in Stillorgan, 

working as 

a Business 

Sales 

Executive for 

Fannin Ltd. 


The hardest thing 

to deal with was 

the skill and speed 

at which training 

was done, learning 

it all on the fly. 

Saturday, February 

21st, 2015. 

Leinster forwards coach Leo 

Cullen came along to have a look 

at Clontarf props Royce Burke- 

Flynn and Iain Hirst play against 

Terenure at Castle Avenue in the 

All-Ireland League. 

He stayed to ask one 

question: ‘who is 

your number 

eight?’ 

Cullen was scouting the AIL for players 

that could step in when the bulk of the 

first-team squad would be preparing for 

the 2015 Rugby World Cup. 

Ryan had been beavering away in the 

South-East area team, had made the 

Leinster Youths and had been on the 

Leinster U19s squad. 

This was the apprenticeship to joining 

his home club Enniscorthy’s first team for 

two years, being central to the Provincial 

Towns Cup win in 2012. 

“Leo came to look at the two other lads, 

not me. I didn’t know anything about 

it. It was probably better that way. It 

escalated from there,” says Tony. 

“He wanted to know if I would be 

interested in coming in for pre-season 

that summer. It was ideal for me as I was 

just finishing my four-year degree in 

Analytical Science at DCU. 

“I was shocked that he wanted me to 

come in. I didn’t even know Leinster 

looked at the AIL for players. 

“I went in for an initial meeting with 

Leo. He brought me around the 

complex. He was introducing me 

to guys like Dominic Ryan, Isa 

Nacewa. 

“I was a Leinster supporter. All of a 

sudden, I am going to be in training with 

these guys. I just remember feeling, ‘what 

am I doing in here?’” 

Four months later, Enniscorthy’s Tony 

Ryan reported for pre-season at Leinster 

Rugby, harbouring a lot of questions that 

needed answers. 

“For some reason, you feel like an 

imposter. They don’t see you like that. 

They just see another lad coming in. 

“But, you are thinking ‘will I be up to the 

mark physically? How will my skills hold 

up?’ I was very nervous.” 

However, the Clontarf contingent was 

strong, Mick McGrath, Burke-Flynn, Hirst, 

Bryan Byrne, Mick Kearney, providing 

familiar faces to ease the nerves. 

“It was like the first day of any job. You 

don’t know where to go, what to do. 

Everyone had a locker with their name on 

it. I didn’t have a locker or even a seat. 

“All the Ireland internationals weren’t 

there, so I was sitting wherever lads 

weren’t sitting. I had no kit, no gear. 

I was just there on a two-month contract 

and could have been gone in eight 

weeks.” 


We flew over the 

night before and we 

had to wait around 

all day for a night 

game. I’m nervous at 

the best of times. 

There was a fine system in place for 

those without the proper attire. Tony was 

scrambling. Mick McGrath was giving the 

new recruit gear and Kevin McLaughlin 

was handing him socks, shorts and a 

jersey. 

“I was also concerned about the training 

load. It was a shock to the system, two 

sessions a day, eating all the time, resting, 

recovering, and sleeping. I would be 

wrecked,” he said. 

“I found I had to eat a lot of food to keep 

on the weight rather than put it on. The 

hardest thing to deal with was the skill 

and speed at which training was done, 

learning it all on the fly. 

“You were given a little grace at the start 

for making mistakes, but pretty soon, it just 

wasn’t good enough.” 

The expectation to pick up in a short 

number of weeks what others had been 

given the length of an Academy contract 

to master made every day a pressurecooker. 

“I would be a nervous player before 

matches whether it is an AIL final or a 

pre-season friendly. That is just the way I 

am,” he says. 

“Every day going into Leinster, I would 

be nervous of messing up, feeling every 

mistake is noticed and every move is 

assessed. I knew I had two months. But, 

I wanted to impress to be kept on for the 

entire season.” 

At the end of two months, Leo offered a 

one-month rolling contract which lasted 

into the New Year. 

In that time, Tony managed to secure 

his one and only cap against Scarlets in 

a back row with Josh van der Flier and 

Dominic Ryan on October 16th, 2015. 

“I actually remember the whole week 

even, coming back from my friend’s stag 

party at home on the weekend to go 

training on the Monday. 

“You know the team is based on the team 

called out for training on Monday. It was 

called out and I was in it. James Tracy 

came up to me. 

“He said: ‘I think that means you are in for 

the Scarlets. ” 

“I said: “oh, f&*k!.’” 

It began to dawn on Tony through the 

week that he was going to be involved, 

settling for a place on the bench. 

“We flew over the night before and 

we had to wait around all day for a 

night game. I’m nervous at the best of 

times. 

“But, when the time comes to go on, that 

is when the nerves leave you. You’re not 

shocked or anything like that.” 

It couldn’t have gone much better, the first 

touch turned into an offload to Noel Reid 

and a try for Isa Nacewa. 

“Even though we lost, I was buzzing 

because I made an impact when I came 

on and I knew the opportunities to play 

for Leinster’s first team were few and far 

between. 

“As a professional, even for me now still 

playing for Clontarf, if I don’t play well 

on Saturday, it eats me up all week until I 

play again. 

“It was my first cap and I felt I performed 

under the pressure of a one-month rolling 

contract. I was delighted with myself. 

That night, Dan Leavy was eight, Josh van 

der Flier was seven and Dominic Ryan 

was six. That’s with all the Leinster loose 

forwards players away for the World 

Cup. 

Jamie Heaslip, Jordi Murphy, Rhys 

Ruddock and Jack Conan would all return 

to remove any chance of Tony adding to 

his cap. 

“That is how difficult it was to get into the 

team.” 


“I had been in there for over four 

months and this is when it became really 

intimidating. These guys I had been 

watching on television started to appear 

and Sean O’Brien is my favourite player 

of all-time.” 

Even then, Leinster respected Tony’s 

game enough to keep playing him for 

Leinster A at a time when he turned 

down a professional contract to play in 

England. 

There was an offer on the table from 

Rotherham to join the Championship club, 

amounting to £16,000 for the season. No 

match fees. No accommodation. 

Still thriving at Clontarf, he is a decorated 

veteran with three All-Ireland League 

medals in 2014, 2016 and 2022 with 

plans to add a fourth by the end of the 

season. 

“I absolutely loved my time at Leinster. I 

was disappointed it was all over. I look 

back on it now and feel I did as well as I 

could from the opportunities I got. I would 

have preferred to stay a professional. 

The right opportunity just never came my 

way.” 

“I was also anxious to get going in my 

career,” he says. 

Tony’s memories of playing there for the 

Leinster A’s didn’t make the decision any 

harder. There was no way he was going 

to forego his career. 

For the last five years, Tony has worked 

as a Business Sales Executive for medical 

devices company Fannin Ltd, finding a 

familiar crossover in some aspects of his 

job. 

“When you play rugby, you have a 

good grasp of discipline and working in a 

team environment,” he adds. 

“When you play, you have a 

performance expectation. The same goes 

for work. You always have to perform. 

My work is in sales. There are a lot of 

targets and results to be met. 

“Outside that, there is the social element 

that is required for rugby and in sales. You 

have to be able to relate to people.” 


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Referees 

Corner 

BY DAN WALLACE 

A very warm welcome to another 

edition of Referees Corner. 

Today’s match referee is 

Sam Grove-White front the 

Scottish Rugby Union. Sam 

started refereeing following 

an ankle injury whilst playing 

in university. He has had a 

steady progression through 

his refereeing career. He has 

refereed in the Japanese Top 

League in 2015 as part of a 

Scottish Rugby Union initiative 

to create links with Scotland 

and Japan Rugby and he is 

also a regular in the Scottish 

Premiership, as well as the URC. 

Sam was picked as a referee for the 

World Rugby Sevens Series of 2016- 

17 season. This continued through to 

the 2018-19 season. Grove-White 

has refereed in the Under 20 Six 

Nations and also refereed in the 2018 

Commonwealth Games. This is his fifth 

time refereeing Leinster. Today he will 

be ably assisted by Peter Martin and 

Keane Davison of the Ulster Society 

with Andrew McMenemy in the TMO 

box. We wish the team well. 

Schools Cup 

Congratulations to Padraic Reidy who 

was appointed to the 2023 Bank 

of Ireland Schools Senior Cup Final 

between Gonzaga and Blackrock 

College. Padraic has been a member of 

the IRFU National Referees panel for a 

number of years and recently refereed 

the Bateman Cup Final between 

Terenure College and Buccaneers. 

Padraic was assisted by last year’s final 

referee Andrew Cole and also Sam Holt. 

Jonny Hollywood and Wayne Sheridan 

were 4th and 5th official, with Brian 

MacNeice TMO and Dan Wallace as 

Timekeeper. Well done to both teams 

on a great game and to Gonzaga on a 

fantastic first cup final win. 


Law in Focus 

Law 18.3 Quick Throw 

Ireland had an early try disallowed in 

Scotland after they appeared to have 

legally stolen a Scotland throw and sent 

their forwards driving over – but was this 

call correct? 

After seemingly being alerted by a 

message from his assistants on the 

sidelines, referee Luke Pearce consulted 

with the closest touch judge then 

disallowed the score. 

The law states: A player who carries 

the ball into touch must release the ball 

immediately so that a quick throw may 

be taken. Sanction: Penalty. 

At a quick throw, the ball is thrown in: 

Between the mark of touch and the 

thrower’s own goal line; and Parallel to 

or towards the thrower’s own goal line; 

and So that it reaches the five-metre line 

before it touches the ground or hits a 

player; and By a player whose feet are 

both outside the field of play. 

A quick throw is disallowed and a 

lineout is awarded to the same team if: A 

lineout had already been formed; or the 

ball had been touched after it went into 

touch by anyone other than the player 

throwing in or the player who carried 

the ball into touch; or A different ball is 

used from the one that originally went 

into touch. 

Monthly Seminars 

We’ve had some great turnouts at 

our monthly seminars in 2023. It is a 

great opportunity for our referees to 

get together in an informal setting and 

discuss their games. This month we are 

focusing on a key aspect of refereeing 

- Communication. Match officials use 

a wide range of tools to communicate 

during a Rugby match. The use of these 

tools, which of course will depend on 

the game situation in front of you, allows 

you to achieve three critical things in 

your capacity as referee. There are three 

ways the referee communicates: 

Voice 

Whistle 

Signals 

But first of all, referees need always 

be close to the action and position 

themselves in the best possible way. As a 

referee, if you can communicate clearly 

and succinctly, players and coaches 

will better understand your decisions. 

This involves communicating with your 

whistle, your primary and secondary 

signals and your voice. Sometimes you 

will encounter challenging situations 

that will require more management. The 

ability to build a relationship during a 

game with a captain can help you to 

manage a team as a whole when the 

temperature of a game rises. 

It is about people management and 

working with many different personality 

types and an appreciation of emotional 

intelligence. You must stay calm in 

sometimes stressful environments. 

The language you use, your tone of 

voice and your body language are all 

effective refereeing tools. Sometimes, 

not speaking can be just as effective as 

speaking. Thanks to Sean Gallagher and 

John Carvill for some great presentations 

this month on this. 

Want to get 

involved? 

Referees provide a vital 

function in servicing all 

levels of the game. Whether 

you aspire to referee at 

the highest level or to 

referee locally, there is a 

place for you. There are 

excellent support structures 

to develop referees and a 

thriving social aspect too. 

Feel free to make contact with 

the Leinster Rugby Referees at 

hayley.whyte@leinsterrugby.ie 

If you are interested in becoming 

a referee get in contact with 

us through our Facebook, our 

website 

www.leinsterrugbyreferees.ie 

or through twitter 

@leinsterreferee. 


ank of ireland 

MATCHDAY minis 

Birr RFC 

Players: Adam Fogarty, Callum Rock, Cathal Mooney, 

Charlie de Forge, Cillian Sammon, Conor Mahon, 

Darragh Mc Dowall, David Mugan, Duke Makim, 

Eamon Sheehan, Emmet Ryan Horan, Eric Lawlor, Eric Ward, 

Finn McIntosh, Gary Shanahan, Gearoid Oakley, 

Isaac McLoughlin, James Houlihan, John Fogarty, John Plunkett, 

Mark Dennedy, Mark Mahon, Michael Conneely, Noah Alves 

Smyth, Rory Milne, Ryan Kelly, Seamus Carbery 

and Tadhg O’Grady 

Coaches: Daithi de Forge, Cahal Rock, John Regan 

Longford RFC 

Players: Eimhin Kelly, James Donnelly, Max Samplawski, Sam 

Ferguson, Donnagh Martin, Senan Lyne, Theodore Flower, 

Lucas Egan, Eoin McCondichie, Rionn Sheehan, Tom Fox, Julian 

Clare, Lorcan McDermott, Kaelan Rowe, Donnacha McGovern, 

Adam Radomski, Braiden Carrigy, Ethan McDowell, Oliver 

Farrell, Fiachra Fagan, Patrick Glennon, Aaron Reilly, James 

Reilly, Padraig Cullen, Kacper Jakacki, Tima Madzhanov, Liam 

Kelly, Luke Columb and Ethan Devlin 

Coaches: Tom Fox, Kevin Sheehan, Shane Lyne, George 

McDermott and Pauline Marlowe 

Naas RFC 

Players: Adam O Brien, Alexander Harford, Ben Bowden, 

Charlie Lloyd, Charlie Murphy, Cian Downes, 

Cillian McMahon, Cillian Tamming, Conor O’Grady, 

Devin Kenny, Diarmuid Conheady, Eoin O’Mongáin, 

Flynn Clayton, Harry Kelly, Harry Spellman, Jack Keegan, 

Ollie Preston, Robert Domican, Shane Kelly 

and Zach Minogue O Reilly 

Coaches: Jack Keegan and Warrick Bowden 

Newbridge RFC 

Players: Charlie Burke, Elliot Lane, Wiktor Kuzniewicz, 

Ely Dunne-Weir,Eoghan Lane, Stefan Liuzzi, Adam Farrell, 

Hogan Byrne, Mason Comerford, Rian Keating, Andy Toft, 

Finn Hayes, Liam Moore, Tadhg McDonnell, Sam Steed, 

Oisin Mulhern, Ben Eustace, Fionn Clandillon, Oran Beagon 

and James Byrne 

Coaches: Senan Clandillion, Paul Liuzzi, David Burke, 

Aidan Farrell, Bernard Eustace, Brian McDonald, 

Martin Lane and Mark Dunne-Weir 


Longford’s 4G 

pitch to officially 

open next week 

Longford Rugby Club will welcome 

Leinster Branch President Debbie 

Carthy on Friday 31st March, to cut 

the ribbon and officially open the 

new full size 4G pitch. The pitch 

will be dedicated to five former 

directors of the club who between 

them, amassed over 255 years 

service to the club. 

The directors are: Warren Turner, Patrick 

Quinn, Mel Difley, Pat Fitzgearld (former 

IRFU President) and Robert Belton. The 

commitment of all five through the years 

has ensured the development of the club 

in the right direction. 

The official opening ceremony will be 

preceded by the inaugural Longford and 

District Schools’ tournament, with local 

schools competing for the Hugh Connolly 

Perpetual Cup. 

Dedicated to the memory of club stalwart 

Hugh Connolly, who worked tirelessly 

developing Youths and Minis rugby 

at Longford Rugby Club right up to his 

untimely passing in 2014, the new annual 

schools youth competition is a very fitting 

acknowledgment of the dedication Hugh 

had for Longford Rugby Club. 

They will also have a Longford and 

District Schools’ girls tournament with 

teams competing for the Karen Lennon 

Perpetual Cup. Karen has been involved 

with ladies rugby at the club for many 

years. She earned a provincial cap for 

Connacht during her playing career and 

currently serving as the club’s first Lady 

Vice President. 

It’s little over one year since the 

completion of the state of the art full size 

4G pitch at the club. The state-of-the-art 

pitch development has ensured that teams 

are no longer exposed to cancellation 

of training sessions during the week, 

and weekend game schedules are not 

compromised due to weather conditions. 

The Longford and District Schools 

Tournament will see six boys junior teams 

and two girls teams representing St. Mel’s 

College Longford, Wilson’s Hospital, 

Cnoc Mhuire Granard, Ard Scoil Padraig 

Granard, Meán Scoil Mhuire Longford 

participating. 

Last season, the club was host to an area 

schools Tag Rugby blitz, which followed 

a programme of rugby development in 

the secondary schools, delivered by club 

captain and School Youths coach, Daniel 

McHugh. Following that programme, 

a number of schools in the area then 

completed blocks of full contact training 

this season, giving many students a first 

taste of a first full contact game in a team 

environment. 

The successful schools programme saw St. 

Mel’s College Longford enter the Junior 

Development league this year and to 

date have enjoyed a successful run in the 

league. In addition, a number of schools 

players are now training and playing with 

the club U15 & U16 teams. 

It is hoped the success of the project will 

be recognised with the financial support 

required to aid the expansion of the 

programme locally and indeed be used 

as a template to develop the game in 

schools across the country. 


Please support 

Daffodil Day 

24 March 2023 

CHY 5863 RCN 20009502 

CLICK TO DONATE

My name 

is Sharzie 

Delaney. I’m 

a cancer 

survivor. 

And this 

year, I am 

so thrilled 

to be an 

ambassador 

for the 

Irish Cancer 

Society’s 

Daffodil Day. 

You never imagine you will be the 

one to hear those dreaded words 

“you have cancer”. 

I was 33 years old when I found a lump 

on my breast. I had just returned from 

a magical holiday in Rome, where my 

boyfriend Ian had proposed to me! We 

were planning our wedding and planning 

a family, I had always wanted children. 

But once I got my treatment schedule, we 

knew we’d have to postpone the wedding 

and change our plans. I also learned 

that cancer could potentially prevent me 

from ever being able to have a baby. I 

was devastated. It felt like cancer was 

about to take away so many of life’s most 

exciting possibilities. 

Cancer takes from us every day. It takes 

big days, little days, and everything inbetween. 

It replaces them with treatment 

days and recovery days. But together, 

we have the power to take these days 

back from cancer. One person every 

three minutes in Ireland receives a cancer 

diagnosis. My heart goes out to each of 

those people, who like me, slowly begin 

to realise what cancer can steal from you. 

I lost days of my life to cancer. I lost my 

hair. I Iost days in recovery. I lost days 

feeling down. 

All the while, I couldn’t let go of the 

simple hope of starting a family. But 

cancer had another challenge to throw 

in our way. To prevent my breast cancer 

returning, I had to start a special five-year 

long Tamoxifen treatment. 

And the bad news is – it’s not possible 

to get pregnant while you’re on this 

medication. Five years waiting to have a 

baby – it felt like a lifetime. I was already 

34, so I started considering coming off 

my treatment, just long enough to get 

pregnant. As you can imagine, these 

were very anxious days and I couldn’t 

find any helpful information to guide 

me. Coincidentally, around this time my 

oncologist asked me to join a landmark 

clinical research trial – to study the risks 

of stopping Tamoxifen treatment in order 

to get pregnant – so I was delighted to 

say yes. 

It’s called ‘THE POSITIVE TRIAL’ and 

it’s funded by the Irish Cancer Society 

through their partners at Cancer Trials 

Ireland. I joined it because it means that, 

as the results of the research emerge, 

other women will be able to have the 

exact information I was then searching 

for. 

Eighteen months into the trial, we 

decided to take the risk and come 

off the treatment. I couldn’t let cancer 

take motherhood away from me too. 

Thankfully everything worked out. And 

eight months later, in the middle of one 

of the worst times of our lives, we got the 

best news possible. I was pregnant! 

Nine months later, our lovely little girl, 

Zohrah, was born. We were over the 

moon! Cancer took so much. But we 

didn’t let it take this, after all. 

The Irish Cancer Society helps fund 

this landmark trial, and so many other 

important research projects too. Your 

generous donation this Daffodil Day 

will fund vital cancer research like this 

and so many other important projects. 

Your support will ensure cancer patients 

across the country can get free lifts to their 

chemotherapy appointments. It means 

that a qualified cancer nurse will answer 

when someone in need rings the Support 

Line. It’s a Night Nurse who provides 

comfort and expert care at home. 

By joining me this Daffodil Day you are 

giving hope to the thousands of people 

facing a cancer diagnosis in Ireland 

today. Thanks to your support, nobody in 

Ireland will face cancer alone. 

The Irish Cancer Society’s Daffodil Day, 

the day we take back from cancer takes 

place on Friday March 24th 2023. Go to 

cancer.ie/daffodilday to donate 


COUNTRY: SOUTH AFRICA HOME GROUND: DHL STADIUM CAPACITY: 55,000 FOUNDED: 1997 

last time out 

DHL Stormers 29 

Cell C Sharks 23 

SATURDAY 04 MARCH | UNITED RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP · ROUND 15 | DHL STADIUM | REFEREE: AJ JACOBS 

The DHL Stormers made 

it a clean sweep of the 

other South African teams 

in the BKT United Rugby 

Championship this season 

with a 29-23 win against the 

Cell C Sharks at DHL Stadium 

a the start of March. 

DHL STORMERS: Clayton Blommetjies, Angelo Davids, Ruhan Nel, Sacha Feinberg- 

Mngomezulu, Seabelo Senatla, Manie Libbok, Paul de Wet, Marcel Theunissen, Ben- 

Jason Dixon, Deon Fourie (captain), Ruben van Heerden, Ernst van Rhyn, Neethling 

Fouche, Joseph Dweba, Ali Vermaak. 

REPLACEMENTS: JJ Kotze, Brok Harris, Sazi Sandi, Connor Evans, Willie Engelbrecht, 

Herschel Jantjies, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Suleiman Hartzenberg. 

TRIES: Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Dixon, Blommetjies, Davids 

CONS: Libbok 3 

PEN: Libbok 

CELL C SHARKS: Boeta Chamberlain, Werner Kok, Marnus Potgieter, Rohan Janse 

van Rensburg, Aphelele Fassi, Curwin Bosch (captain), Grant Williams, Sikhumbuzo 

Notshe, Vincent Tshituka, Henco Venter, Gerbrandt Grobler, Emile van Heerden, Hanro 

Jacobs, Fez Mbatha, Dian Bleuler. 

REPLACEMENTS: Kerron van Vuuren, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Carlu Sadie, Lappies 

Labuschagne, James Venter, Phepsi Buthelezi, Cameron Wright, Yaw Penxe. 

TRIES: Penxe, Janse van Rensburg, Williams 

CON: Bosch 

PENS: Bosch 2 

They were made to work hard 

for the win as they were down to 

13 men in the final stages, but the 

DHL Stormers did enough to clinch 

the full five points. 

The visitors struck first with a penalty 

from flyhalf Curwin Bosch, but the DHL 

Stormers responded with a try as Sacha 

Feinberg-Mngomezulu took a great 

offload from Clayton Blommetjies to go 

over. 

The Cell C Sharks edged in front with a 

second penalty from Bosch, but those 

were to be their last points of the first 

half, as the home side took control with 

two more tries. 

The first was an intercept from flank Ben- 

Jason Dixon, who made a great read to 


snatch the ball in the 22 and canter over. 

The second came off the back of 

a period of sustained pressure, as 

Blommetjies glided through a gap to 

score. 

That gave the home side a 19-6 

advantage at half-time, to the delight of 

the DHL Stadium crowd. 

The bonus-point try came 13 minutes 

into the second half, with Angelo Davids 

getting on the end of a cross-kick from 

Libbok and grounding it despite slipping 

in the process. 

The Cell C Sharks fought back well, 

scoring two tries of their own from wing 

Yaw Penxe and centre Rohan Janse van 

Rensburg to make it 26-18 heading into 

the last 15 minutes. 

The DHL Stormers were down to 14 for 

the last 10 minutes after replacement 

prop Sazi Sandi was shown a yellow 

card for a cynical infringement. 

Scrumhalf Grant Williams scored a third 

for the visitors and Seabelo was shown 

a yellow card for a trip, which meant the 

DHL Stormers had to finish the game with 

13 men on the field. 

That set up a tense finish, but the DHL 

Stormers had the final say with a late 

penalty from Libbok to seal the win. 

The 29-23 win ensured that the 

DHL Stormers are United Rugby 

Championship South African Shield 

winners for the second consecutive 

season. 


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Head Coach: 

John Dobson 

Dobson took charge of the Stormers in 

2019, and also works as Head Coach 

with Western Province in the Currie Cup. 

The former hooker also worked in Italy, 

and is a published author, having penned 

novels in 2012 and 2016. 

Captain: 

Steven 

Kitshoff 

The Springboks prop was part of the team 

the won the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and 

the 2021 Test Series against the British 

and Irish Lions. The 31-year-old has 

spent the entirety of his career in South 

Africa, bar two years in the Top 14 with 

Bordeaux-Begles. 

He was part of the team that won the 

inaugural URC title last season and has 

over 100 appearances for the team. He 

will be moving to Ulster after this year’s 

Rugby World Cup. 

stormers squad 

FORWARDS 

KWENZO BLOSE 

PROP 

HACJIVAH DAYIMANI 

FLANKER 

BEN-JASON DIXON 

LOCK 

JOSEPH DWEBA 

HOOKER 

WILLIE ENGELBRECHT 

FLANKER 

CONNOR EVANS 

LOCK 

NEETHLING FOUCHE 

PROP 

DEON FOURIE 

FLANKER 

BROK HARRIS 

PROP 

Brok Harris 

STEVEN KITSHOFF 

PROP 

JJ KOTZE 

HOOKER 

LEON LYONS 

PROP 

FRANS MALHERBE 

PROP 

LEE-MARVIN MAZIBUKO 

PROP 

SIMON MILLER 

LOCK 

SALMAAN MOERAT 

LOCK 

KEKE MORABE 

NO. 8 

SCARRA NTUBENI 

HOOKER 

MARVIN ORIE 

LOCK 

JUNIOR POKOMELA 

FLANKER 

GARY PORTER 

LOCK 

EVAN ROOS 

NO. 8 

SAZI SANDI 

PROP 

ADRE SMITH 

LOCK 

CHAD SOLOMON 

HOOKER 

MARCEL THEUNISSEN 

FLANKER 

ANDRE-HUGO VENTER 

HOOKER 

ALI VERMAAK 

PROP 

NAMA XABA 

FLANKER 

RUBEN VAN HEERDEN 

LOCK 

ERNST VAN RHYN 

LOCK 

BACKS 

CLAYTON BLOMMETJIES 

FULLBACK 

ANGELO DAVIDS 

WING 

SACHA FEINBERG-MNGOMEZULU 

FLY-HALF 

SULEIMAN HARTZENBERG 

CENTRE 

HERSCHEL JANTJIES 

SCRUM-HALF 

IMAD KHAN 

SCRUM-HALF 

ALAPATI LEIUA 

CENTRE 

TRISTAN LEYDS 

FULLBACK 

MANIE LIBBOK 

FLY-HALF 

GODLEN MASIMLA 

SCRUM-HALF 

RUHAN NEL 

CENTRE 

SEABELO SENATLA 

WING 

CORNEL SMIT 

CENTRE 

STEFAN UNGERER 

SCRUM-HALF 

DAMIAN WILLEMSE 

FLY-HALF 

KADE WOLHUTER 

FLY-HALF 

LEOLIN ZAS 

WING 

MNOMBO ZWELENDABA 

CENTRE 

JUAN DE JONGH 

CENTRE 

PAUL DE WET 

SCRUM-HALF 

JEAN-LUC DU PLESSIS 

FLY-HALF 

DAN DU PLESSIS 

CENTRE 


Director of 

Rugby Norman 

Byrne is 30 

years into a 

love affair 

with DLSP. 

Club in 

Focus 

BY DES BERRY 

dlsp 

Photo: John Crothers 

“The club is ingrained in me. I 

joined as a player in 1993. I even 

played in the first match DLSP 

played in the All-Ireland League 

back in 1995,” he says. 

“I captained the club in 1996/97. I have 

been involved as a player, a coach and 

a member ever since, becoming the 

Director of Rugby on a full-time basis in 

November 2018. 

“I feel very fortunate to be part of such 

a wonderful rugby club, which is like an 

extended family.” 

The various roles Norman immersed 

himself into over the years provided a 

great vantage point to observe and to 

understand the complexities of the club. 

“Because I know the club as well as I 

do, I was in a position to work with great 

people in all levels of the club to evolve 

the revised strategy which we have been 

implementing in recent years. 

“It is very much a community-based 

club, evolving even more in that direction 

as the residential population of the city 

has grown out towards Stepaside and 

Enniskerry. 

“We are one of a few rugby clubs that 

have facilities in the area. We just had to 

get our strategy right.” 


“We were in the first division of the 

AIL back in the early 2000s, possibly 

punching slightly above our weight back 

then. 

“But, we competed relatively successfully 

in the AIL for a number of years, before 

then dropping out of the AIL and 

struggling for a period in the Leinster 

League - even dropping two divisions in 

consecutive seasons in 2019 and 2020. 

They were very challenging years.” 

Those in the club came to realise that 

foundation blocks needed to be put in 

place so that it could thrive again. 

“The strategy we have now is the strategy 

that really suits the club,” says Norman. 

“It starts with being the best communitybased 

rugby club in the area. We provide 

rugby for all, attracting every man, 

woman and child into the club to play 

rugby. 

“We have a team for everyone. We 

currently have 475 players registered in 

the Mini and Youth section, from our U5 

‘Daisy Pickers’ up to and including U18s. 

This is the integrated pathway 

in action - for both players and 

coaches/members, how it can work 

and how it has worked for us. 

“We have 23 teams, from all the Mini 

and Youth teams for both boys and 

girls, to our Special Needs ‘Eagles’ and 

Mixed Ability ‘Vikings’, Touchies, Taggers, 

American Footballers and our four adult 

male and female teams. 

“We field youth teams from U13 to 

U18 either by ourselves or on an 

amalgamated basis with other clubs, 

which has served us well too. 

“The community and inclusivity aspects 

are critical to our strategy,” says Norman. 

“We have two main feeder schools in 

De La Salle Churchtown and St Benildus 

College. We have very good partnership 

arrangements with them. We have a wide 

network of primary and national schools 

we work with in the area as well. 

“If you put that all together, the club’s 

strategy has been to develop a 

sustainable pathway for players to start 

and finish their rugby at DLSP. 

“To facilitate this, we have implemented 

a four-step integrated pathway: mini 

rugby, youths rugby, U20 rugby and 

adult rugby. 

“We place a strong emphasis on 

supporting our players in the transition 

from one stage of this pathway to the 

next, with the hope and intention of 

retaining the players through their rugby 

careers and beyond if they want to be a 

coach, manager or pavilion member. 

“There is also a space to attract players 

back to Salmo, if they have left along the 

way,” he adds. 


Try Leinster’s Next Big Dish 

from Mao At Home today

Photo: John Crothers 

“By the nature of the two schools we are 

in partnership with, most of our players 

are not compromised by the Schools Cup 

competitions. That is very beneficial to us. 

“We understand that we will lose players 

to the traditional rugby schools, like St 

Mary’s College or Blackrock College. 

“But the integrated pathway is there to 

make them feel that they have had so 

much support on their rugby journey that 

DLSP is ‘their club’ and the one that they 

want to return to. 

“When the players complete their 

schooling and their time in college, they 

might come back and play with us again. 

That has worked surprisingly well.” 

It has led to an upswing in fortunes on the 

playing field where DLSP won promotion 

from Division 2A of the Leinster League 

this season. 

“We are in the right place now and on 

the right trajectory having come out of 

Covid with a couple of successful seasons 

in Leinster League Division 2A. 

“Last year, we finished second in 2A, 

losing a play-off to Mullingar. This year, 

we won the Division after 11 rounds of 

the 14, having won all 11 games with 

nine try-scoring bonus-points, playing 

an expansive style of rugby which is not 

overly common at that level. 

“This successful expansive style very 

much derives from the player and coach 

development approach we take through 

the integrated pathway where we try to 

instil physical literacy, rugby handling 

and technical skills in our players so that 

they are proficient when it is most required 

at the adult levels. 

“The success this season is a manifestation 

of how the strategy can work. 

“We have an extended senior squad of 

about 50 players. Twenty-six of them 

were in DLSP’s U20 squad that won the JP 

Fanagan Division Three League in 2020, 

playing 14 and winning 14. 

“Of that 26, 25 had played youth rugby 

at DLSP. Of that 25, 20 had played mini 

rugby at DLSP. Of that 20, 12 of them 

have been at DLSP since U6. 

“Effectively, one-quarter of the senior 

squad has played their rugby since U6. 

Co-incidentally, I coached that group, 

primarily because my son Luke was one 

of the 12. 

“Other coaches who worked with me with 

that group include Barry Murphy, our 

current Club President; John Feeney, now 

one of our senior squad managers, and 

Emmet Nealon, who is currently coaching 

our Girls Under 18s. 

“This is the integrated pathway in action – 

for both players and coaches/members, 

how it can work and how it has worked 

for us,” says Norman. 

The number of adults playing rugby is 

dwindling all across the country, leaving 

DLSP in an enviable position at present. 

“We have a great underage set-up 

which we hope is going to provide us 

with sustainable player resources into the 

future and we have to do everything we 

can to maximise that excellent resource. 

“If we can retain as many as we can of 

that cohort, we will be in a really good 

place when it comes to our adult rugby. 

“The collaboration of all our rugby 

cohorts in this regard is absolutely 

instrumental in the the collective 

success we have achieved and the 

implementation of the overall strategy. 

“It is exactly what we mean when we say 

that DLSP is ‘One Club, Many Teams’. 


KNOWING WHAT ADVICE TO TAKE 

IS ESSENTIAL IN THIS GAME. 

OFFICIAL LEGAL ADVISOR 

Beauchamps LLP | Riverside Two | Sir John Rogerson’s Quay | Dublin 2 | D02 KV60 

beauchamps.ie

Birr RFC continues 

to grow both on and 

off the field 

Birr RFC stands as one of the oldest 

rugby clubs in the country, having been 

initially formed in 1887. 

Like many clubs it lapsed on 

several occasions, particularly 

during the two world wars and 

again in the mid-50s, this time 

due to an argument about unpaid 

for Champagne consumed in 

the celebration of some longforgotten 

win. However, it was 

reformed in 1963 and has been in 

continuous existence since. 

The club has seen great growth over the 

last few seasons due to the outstanding 

work of the Mini’s coaches and volunteers 

with close to 200 boys and girls aged 

6 – 12 attended training seasons every 

Sunday morning. 

This increase in playing number was, in 

part, due to the creation of the new U8, 

U10 and U12 girls’ teams over the last 

number of seasons that now sees 40 girls 

playing rugby every Sunday as the club 

continues its commitment to growing the 

game for everyone. 

The club also recently secured a new 

major sponsor for their Mini Rugby 

division with Precision Construction 

Limited coming on board to sponsor new 

jerseys for all the teams. 

Youth’s rugby in the club continues to be 

an uphill battle with the draw of multiple 

sports and other commitments on players. 

While the club saw a drop in player 

number for a few seasons, primarily at 

the older age brackets due to Covid, 

this led to a strategic amalgamation of 

some of our youth teams with our nearest 

neighbour Roscrea, to ensure that they 

could play matches. 

This tied the club over for a few seasons 

and we are now starting to see the 

success of the Mini’s rugby feed into our 

Youth rugby, with strong playing numbers 

in our U13 and U14 Boys and hopefully 

this trend will continue. 

The senior men’s team are currently 

rebuilding after winning the Provincial 

Towns (J2) plate only a few seasons 

ago. With several players gone due to 

retirements, work, and injury the team is 

currently kept going by a stalwart of older 

players and a handful of new players. 

Over the last number of seasons, the 

club has undertaken numerous projects 

to improve the facilities in the club with 

more in the planning phase. A lot of work 

has been carried out in the clubhouse 

from upgrading the clubhouse lounge, 

insulating the building, upgrading the 

windows, women’s bathrooms etc to 

ensure we have a warm and welcome 

clubhouse for our members and guests. 

This work also extends to the pitches with 

the clubs ongoing efforts to improve the 

playing pitch quality and lighting. Only 

recently Birr have been awarding a sports 

capital grant to redo our training pitch in 

the centre of town, a pitch that has had 

rugby played continuously on it since the 

reforming of the club in ’63. 

The club are very proud to have five 

former youth players currently involved 

in the professional game, something that 

few junior clubs in the country can claim. 

Michael Milne has had a starring role for 

Leinster this season. Both Peter Dooley 

and Share Delahunt are playing with 

Connacht, Jack Regan with Ospreys and 

Ronan Loughnane with Aurillac in France. 

The club has a dynamic young committee 

who ensure the smooth running of the 

club, which now allows boys and girls the 

opportunity to play rugby in a fun and 

safe environment from the age of seven 

onwards. Birr are an open club who look 

forward to welcoming new members 

who want to enjoy our wonderful game. 

Needless to say any Champagne bills 

are paid up rapidly. They live and learn. 



michael 

milne 

THE INTERVIEW 

BY PAUL CAHILL 

It’s quite likely you’ll 

see a few Birr RFC shirts 

around the RDS tonight. 

Their minis will be in 

action at half-time, but 

it’s a former Birr RFC 

minis graduate that many 

have come to see. 


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Michael Milne, a proud Offaly man 

has had a season to remember so 

far. 

The loosehead prop has played a pivotal 

role all season in the Leinster Rugby front 

row as well as earning a call up to the 

Emerging Ireland squad in October, 

made a first European appearance in 

January, and was given a call up to the 

Ireland Six Nations squad in February. 

Having missed most of last season 

through injury, it’s been exactly what the 

Offaly man was hoping for. 

“Last year, I missed nine months through 

injury. So to be honest, I just set out to 

have a good pre-season,” says Milne. 

“I just wanted to make sure my body was 

right to give me a chance. Then, when 

you start coming to the end of preseason, 

you start making new goals for 

the season. 

“But, my main goal was to stay fit and 

play games.” 

After a long layoff last season, it was 

against tonight’s opponents that Milne 

made his return towards the end of last 

season on our first URC trip to South 

Africa. 

“It was incredible getting to go over to 

Durban and Cape Town for the tour after 

the injury. Getting on against the Stormers 

was great. It was a nice way to finish the 

injury layoff. 

“It was such a class stadium. Things are 

done differently over there. I remember 

there were loads of cheerleaders on the 

pitch before the game and it was a party 

atmosphere. It was amazing to get back 

on the pitch.” 

With a solid pre-season under his belt, 

the Birr RFC man made the matchday 

squad for the season opener away to 

Zebre. 

Now up and running, he received a call 

to travel back to South Africa with the 

Emerging Ireland side. 

It was an opportunity for younger players 

to work with the senior Irish coaches and 

one which Milne relished. 

“Going over there and getting to work 

within the Irish setup was class. It really 

opened your eyes as to why Ireland are 

so good because they create a brilliant 

environment. 

“Everyone wants to be learning from 

each other and you can see why lads 

love playing for Ireland. 

“It was very much like that for us for the 

two weeks in South Africa. It was a lot of 

young lads so it was great fun too.” 

After starting in the 28-21 win over the 

Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, Milne hit the 

ground running on his return to Leinster. 

He played against Scarlets, Glasgow 

Warriors, Connacht and Ospreys, as well 

as touching down under the posts against 

Glasgow. 

It was the type of run he was hoping for. 


They prepared us for that, 

so even when we are under 

pressure, we know that if 

we just stick together we 

know it will come good. 

“The thing about rugby is, getting a run of 

games makes such a big difference. 

“It’s made a big difference to my game 

this year. You probably get a bit more 

confidence in terms of being on the ball 

and things you can do in defence. 

“Scrummaging as well. The only way to 

get better is to do it, so getting the game 

time has been brilliant for that.” 

Powering over from close range against 

Glasgow must have felt good too? 

“Funnily enough, they don’t let the 

loosehead carry those penalties anymore 

since then. It was a close game when 

I came on, so it was great to make an 

impact and get over the line.” 

That fine form was soon rewarded as 

Milne was included in a European 

Champions Cup matchday squad for the 

very first time for the trip to Gloucester. 

One thing in particular stood out for him 

that day. 

“The support was unreal. 

“I’d never travelled to an away European 

fixture before so it was all new to me. It 

was a 1pm kick off as well, so you were 

out of bed and straight at it. The colour 

when we arrived at the stadium was 

incredible. 

“I remember looking up into the stands 

at one point and my parents were in the 

middle of it all which was great to see.” 

After the full time whistle, Milne posed 

for a photo with the other two European 

debutants. Two players he knows well. 

“It was nice making my European debut 

alongside Liam Turner and Brian Deeny. 

“I have played with Liam since the Ireland 

U-18 side, which was a while ago now. 

We came through the ranks together. 

“We then met Brian Deeny at Leinster 

U-20 level and he’s a legend so it was 

nice for the three of us to get our first 

European caps together.” 

A week later, Milne would get his first 

taste of European action at Aviva Stadium 

as Leinster Rugby faced French giants, 

Racing 92. 

The entire Milne family made the journey 

to Dublin, as well as a big contingent 

from Birr RFC. 

“All of my friends and family came to 

that game. It was a bit of a nightmare 

getting tickets for everyone. 

“When you play at Aviva Stadium it’s 

such a big deal. The dressing rooms, 

the walk out, it’s all class. 


“My parents and my four older sisters are 

great for coming to my games. My father, 

Ger, has only missed one game this year 

which was the Edinburgh game. 

“I said to him he must be bad luck if I 

scored twice when he’s not there.” 

That Edinburgh game, which was our 

most recent fixture at the start of the 

month, was a tight battle until Leinster 

pulled away late in the second half. 

“The first 10 minutes we were under the 

pump. But, that’s why the coaches are 

so good here. They prepared us for that, 

so even when we are under pressure, 

we know that if we just stick together we 

know it will come good. 

“I think we scored off our first attacking 

phase. Little things like that build 

confidence. Harry Byrne and Ciáran 

Frawley were giving good clear 

messages and everyone was very calm.” 

It’s a game Michael Milne will remember 

for a while as he was so close to claiming 

a famous hat-trick. 

He burst over the line for tries in the 

28th and 51st minutes, but isn’t too 

disappointed at not getting to keep the 

match ball. 

“For my two tries, I just fell over the line 

and was lucky being in the right place at 

the right time. 

“I was probably a bit surprised at having 

scored the second. I just tried to take a 

breath and refocus on the restart. Some 

of the lads were laughing as we ran back 

but I just focusing on the next ball.” 

While scoring two tries away from home 

might seem like the standout moment from 

this block of games for Michael Milne, 

you would be wrong. 

An unexpected call on what was due to 

be a down day presented another huge 

opportunity for Milne as he was drafted 

into the Ireland Six Nations squad for 

the week of the France game at Aviva 

Stadium. 

“I wasn’t expecting the phone call. I 

missed a call on a Sunday and I didn’t 

think much of it. They rang back it was 

Andy Farrell, so I was called in for the 

France game week, which was a brilliant 

experience. 

“I went in as cover so I was just trying 

to learn from Andrew Porter and 

Cian Healy. Ports is probably the best 

loosehead in the world and Cian Healy 

has done everything. 

“You’re trying to pick up what they’re 

doing and what works for them. 

“You can see what Paul O’Connell is 

coaching and how good they are in the 

22 in attack so I just wanted to learn as 

much as I could. 

“The matchday was brilliant. It was a 

great atmosphere from the start of the 

warm up so it was a great day.” 

So, with a number of milestones 

completed this season, attention turns to 

this evening. 

Leinster Rugby welcome the reigning URC 

champions to the RDS, the DHL Stormers. 

“I can’t wait for this game. We’ve worked 

as a group without the international lads 

and worked very hard and got some 

good results. This is the last big one before 

they come back. 

“We’ve been waiting for this game for a 

while now and it’s our last home game 

at the RDS so it should be a special night 

in front of a big crowd. I’m really looking 

forward to it.” 

After a lengthy spell on the sideline, 

Michael Milne is very happy to be 

competing and hitting new milestones. 

“The biggest thing is coming back from 

injury last year. I’m just happy to be in a 

good flow of games now. I’m happy with 

how things are going and I just want to 

kick on.” 



Rugby 

Academy 

Year 

Three: 


Marcus Hanan (4) #1295 


FROM Clane, Co Kildare 

HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 0”) 


POSITION Loosehead prop 

SCHOOL Salesian College, Celbridge 

CLUB Clane RFC 

HONOURS Ireland U-20 (2 caps) 

John McKee (14) #1307 


FROM Belfast 

HEIGHT 1.85m ( 6’ 0”) 


POSITION Hooker 

SCHOOL Campbell College 

CLUB Terenure College RFC 


Seán O’Brien (3) #1297 


FROM Pittsburgh, PA, USA 

HEIGHT 1.91m ( 6 ’ 3”) 

WEIGHT 106kg ( 16st 10lbs) 

POSITION Back Row 

SCHOOL Blackrock College 

CLUB UCD RFC 


Max O’Reilly (11) #1291 


FROM Long Island, USA 

HEIGHT 1.86m (6’ 1”) 


POSITION Full-back 

SCHOOL St Gerard’s School 

CLUB DUFC 


Andrew Smith (2) #1292 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.8 m (5’ 11”) 


POSITION Back Three 

SCHOOL St Michael’s College 

CLUB Clontarf FC 




Academy 

Year 

Two: 

Alex Soroka (7) #1296 


FROM Cork 

HEIGHT 1.95m (6’ 5”) 



SCHOOL Belvedere College 



Jack Boyle (2) #1317 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.86m (6’ 1”) 


POSITION Loosehead prop 


CLUB UCD RFC 


Lee Barron (4) #1308 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.93m (6’ 3”) 


POSITION Hooker 


CLUB DUFC 


Chris Cosgrave (5) #1305 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.85m (6’ 0”) 




CLUB UCD RFC 


Temi Lasisi (1) #1304 

DOB 9 May 2001 

FROM Enniscorthy, Co Wexford 

HEIGHT 1.83m (6’ 0 “) 


POSITION Tighthead prop 

SCHOOL CBS Enniscorthy 

CLUB Lansdowne FC/Enniscorthy RFC 


(3) = Leinster Rugby Senior caps

Ben Murphy (1) #1309 


FROM Bray 

HEIGHT 1.76m (5’ 8”) 


POSITION Scrum-half 

SCHOOL Presentation College, Bray 





Academy 

Year 

One: 

Rob Russell (15) #1302 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.83m (6’ 0”) 




CLUB DUFC 


Ben Brownlee (2) #1313 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.87m (6’ 2”) 


POSITION Centre 


CLUB UCD RFC 


James Culhane (1) #1315 


FROM Enniskerry, Co Wicklow 

HEIGHT 1.94m (6’ 4”) 




CLUB UCD RFC 


Aitzol Arenzana-King 

(1) #1316 


FROM Gormanston, Co Meath 

HEIGHT 1.91m (6’ 3”) 



SCHOOL Gormanston College/CUS 

CLUB Clontarf FC/Balbriggan RFC 


Diarmuid Mangan 


FROM Kildare 

HEIGHT 1.93 m (6’ 4”) 



SCHOOL Newbridge College 

CLUB UCD RFC 


Rory McGuire 


FROM Dublin 

HEIGHT 1.93m (6’ 4”) 


POSITION Tightead prop 


CLUB UCD RFC 


Sam Prendergast 


FROM Kildare 

HEIGHT 1.94m (6’ 4”) 


POSITION Out-half 

SCHOOL Newbridge College 

CLUB Lansdowne FC 


Charlie Tector (5) #1314 


FROM Wexford 

HEIGHT 1.89 m (6’ 2”) 


POSITION Out-half 

SCHOOL Kilkenny College 

CLUB Lansdowne FC 



fixtures and 

results 2022/23 

Date 

17/09 

23/09 

30/09 

08/10 

14/10 

22/10 

28/10 

26/11 

03/12 

10/12 

16/12 

26/12 

01/01 

07/01 

14/01 

KO/ 

Result 

Opposiotion Venue 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 1 2 

W 

29-33 URC ZEBRE Stadio Sergio 

Lanfranchi 

O’REILLY RUSSELL OSBORNE NGATAI 

KEARNEY 

1T 

R. BYRNE 

C4 

W 

42-10 URC BENETTON RDS Arena J O’BRIEN LARMOUR RINGROSE HENSHAW KEARNEY FRAWLEY 

3C 

W 

13-20 URC ULSTER Kingspan 

Stadium 

W 

54-34 

URC 

CELL C 

SHARKS 

J O’BRIEN LARMOUR RINGROSE HENSHAW KEARNEY 

RDS Arena J O’BRIEN LARMOUR 

HENSHAW 

1T 

NGATAI 

RUSSELL 

1T 

R. BYRNE 

2C 2P 

SEXTON 

1T, 7C 

W 

0-10 URC CONNACHT Sportsground J O’BRIEN TURNER RINGROSE NGATAI RUSSELL R. BYRNE 

1C 

W 

27-13 URC MUNSTER Aviva 

Stadium 

W 

5-35 URC SCARLETS Parc y 

Scarlets 

FRAWLEY J O’BRIEN RINGROSE HENSHAW OSBORNE 

COSGRAVE 

1T 

RUSSELL 

1T 

W 

40-5 URC GLASGOW RDS Arena OSBORNE RUSSELL 

3T 

TURNER NGATAI KEARNEY 

TURNER 

W 

38-29 URC ULSTER RDS Arena KEENAN O’BRIEN RINGROSE 

2T 

W 

10-42 HCC RACING 92 Stade 

Océane 

KEENAN 

J O’BRIEN 

RINGROSE 

1T 

NGATAI 

OSBORNE 

NGATAI 

KEARNEY 

1T 

W 

57-0 HCC GLOUCESTER RDS Arena KEENAN J O’BRIEN RINGROSE NGATAI LOWE 

2T 

W 

19-20 URC MUNSTER Thomond 

Park 

W 

41-12 URC CONNACHT RDS Arena J O’BRIEN LARMOUR 

(2T) 

W 

19-24 URC OSPREYS Swansea. 

com Stadium 

LOWE 

1T 

LOWE 

KEENAN J O’BRIEN RINGROSE OSBORNE LOWE 

KEENAN 

(1T) 

W 

14-49 HCC GLOUCESTER Kingsholm KEENAN 

(1T) 

TURNER 

(1T) 

NGATAI 

LARMOUR OSBORNE NGATAI 

LARMOUR 

(1T) 

RINGROSE 

OSBORNE 

(1T) 

RUSSELL 

(1T) 

J O’BRIEN 

(1T) 

J O’BRIEN 

SEXTON 

2C, 1P 

R. BYRNE 

3C 

R. BYRNE 

4C 

R BYRNE 

5C, 1P 

R BYRNE 

4C 

R BYRNE 

5C 

R BYRNE 

2P, 2C 

SEXTON 

(2C) 

H. BYRNE 

(1P, 1C) 

R. BYRNE 

(5C) 

MCGRATH 

1T 

MCGRATH 

1T 

MCGRATH 

MCGRATH 

FOLEY 

1T 

MCGRATH 

1T 

E BYRNE 

PORTER 

PORTER 

PORTER 

1T 

KELLEHER 

SHEEHAN 

4T 

SHEEHAN 

1T 

SHEEHAN 

E. BYRNE SHEEHAN 

HEALY 

SHEEHAN 

1T 

MCGRATH E. BYRNE MCKEE 

MCGRATH E. BYRNE KELLEHER 

GIBSON- PARK 

GIBSON- PARK 

MCGRATH 

1T 

N MCCARTHY 

HEALY 

PORTER 

1T 

PORTER 

PORTER 

KELLEHER 

1T 

SHEEHAN 

1T 

KELLEHER 

2T 

SHEEHAN 

1T 

GIBSON- PARK MILNE KELLEHER 

FOLEY 

HEALY 

SHEEHAN 

(1T) 

GIBSON- PARK PORTER SHEEHAN 

21/01 

W 

36-10 HCC RACING 92 Aviva 

Stadium 

KEENAN 

(2T) 

LARMOUR 

RINGROSE 

(1T) 

OSBORNE 

J O’BRIEN 

(2T) 

R. BYRNE 

(2C) 

GIBSON- PARK PORTER KELLEHER 

28/01 

18/02 

04/03 

W 

28-14 

W 

43-14 

URC 

CARDIFF 

RUGBY 

URC 

DRAGONS 

RFC 

RDS Arena 

COSGRAVE 

RDS Arena J O’BRIEN 

W 

27-47 URC EDINBURGH DAM Health 

Stadium 

24/03 19:35 URC DHL 

STORMERS 

01/04 17:30 HCC ULSTER 

15/04 14:00 URC EMIRATES 

LIONS 

22/04 16:05 URC VODACOM 

BULLS 

RDS Arena 

Aviva 

Stadium 

Emirates 

Airline Park 

Loftus 

Versfeld 

O’REILLY 

(1T) 

LARMOUR 

(1T) 

TURNER 

(1T) 

BROWNLEE 

KEARNEY 

TURNER OSBORNE KEARNEY 

FRAWLEY LARMOUR TURNER OSBORNE 

KEARNEY 

(1T) 

H. BYRNE 

(3C) 

H BYRNE 

(2T, 3C) 

H BYRNE 

(6C) 

MCGRATH 

(2T) 

MCGRATH 

(1T) 

MCGRATH 

MILNE 

MILNE 

MILNE 

(2T) 

MCKEE 

MCKEE 

MCKEE 


3 4 5 6 7 8 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 

ALAALATOA 

MOLONY 

JENKINS 

1T 

RUDDOCK 

T2 

ALAALATOA MOLONY JENKINS BAIRD 

ALAALATOA MOLONY JENKINS 

ALAALATOA 

MOLONY 

JENKINS 

2T 

BAIRD 

1T 

PENNY DEEGAN MCKEE MILNE ABDALADZE DEENY SOROKA MCCARTHY FRAWLEY CONNORS 

VAN DER FLIER 

1T 

DORIS KELLEHER E. BYRNE HEALY MCCARTHY CONNORS FOLEY 

R. BYRNE 

3C 

NGATAI 

VAN DER FLIER CONAN MCKEE E. BYRNE ABDALADZE RYAN CONNORS MCCARTHY SEXTON NGATAI 

BAIRD CONNORS RUDDOCK 

MCKEE 

1T 

HEALY ABDALADZE RYAN MOLONEY FOLEY BYRNE 

FURLONG MOLONY RYAN DORIS VAN DER FLIER CONAN MCKEE PORTER ALAALATOA MCCARTHY MOLONEY MCCARTHY 

ALA’ALATOA JENKINS RYAN DEEGAN 

CLARKSON 

1T 

PENNY 

1T 

FRAWLEY 

1P 

DORRIS MCKEE PORTER CLARKSON MOLONY CONAN MCCARTHY R. BYRNE 

RINGROSE 

2T 

HENSHAW 

MOLONY JENKINS RUDDOCK PENNY DEEGAN MCELROY MILNE ABDALADZE DEENY MOLONEY MCCARTHY TECTOR BROWNLEE 

CLARKSON MOLONY MCCARTHY RUDDOCK PENNY DEEGAN 

MCKEE 

1T 

ALA’ALATOA RYAN JENKINS BAIRD VAN DER FLIER CONAN SHEEHAN 

ALA’ALATOA RYAN JENKINS BAIRD 

ALA’ALATOA 

MOLONY 

RYAN 

1T 

DORIS 

1T 

HEALY BAIRD J MCCARTHY RUDDOCK 

ALA’ALATOA 

DEENY 

(1T) 

RYAN 

BAIRD 

(1T) 

VAN DER FLIER 

2T 

VAN DE FLIER 

1T 

PENNY 

1T 

VAN DER FLIER 

(1T) 

DORIS 

KELLEHER 

MILNE 

1T 

PORTER 

1T 

E BYRNE 

1T 

ABDALADZE JENKINS BAIRD FOLEY 

H. BYRNE 

1C 

RUSSELL 

1T 

COSGRAVE 

FURLONG MOLONY DORIS MCCARTHY TECTOR TURNER 

HEALY MOLONY CONAN MCGRATH 

CONAN SHEEHAN E. BYRNE HEALY J MCCARTHY DEEGAN GIBSON- PARK 

H BYRNE 

2C 

SEXTON 

1C 

OSBORNE 

LARMOUR 

1T 

DEEGAN MCKEE MILNE ABDALADZE MOLONY CONAN MCGRATH H BYRNE TURNER 

DORIS MCKEE PORTER ABDALADZE SOROKA PENNY FOLEY 

ALA’ALATOA MOLONY DEENY RUDDOCK PENNY CONAN MCKEE MILNE ABDALADZE RYAN 

ALA’ALATOA 

(1T) 

MOLONY RYAN BAIRD 

ALA’ALATOA J MCCARTHY RYAN DORIS 

ALA’ALATOA 

MOLONY 

DEENY 

(1T) 

ALA’ALATOA MOLONY DEENY 

ALA’ALATOA 

(1T) 

RUDDOCK 

RUDDOCK 

(1T) 

JENKINS MOLONY RUDDOCK 

VAN DER FLIER 

(1T) 

VAN DER 

FLIER 

(1T) 

PENNY 

DORIS 

(1T) 

KELLEHER 

(1T) 

VAN DER 

FLIER 

MCCARTHY 

MILNE HEALY DEENY CONAN MCCARTHY 

CONAN SHEEHAN MILNE HEALY MOLONY BAIRD MCGRATH 

DEEGAN 

(1T) 

MCELROY HANAN CLARKSON CULHANE CONNORS MCCARTHY 

PENNY DEEGAN BARRON BOYLE CLARKSON JENKINS CONNORS N MCCARTHY 

PENNY 

(2T) 

DEEGAN 

(1T) 

H. BYRNE 

(1C) 

R. BYRNE 

(2C) 

H. BYRNE 

(2C) 

H BYRNE 

(1C) 

TECTOR 

(1C) 

TECTOR 

(1T, 1C) 

OSBORNE 

RUSSELL 

TURNER 

PENNY 

KING 

RUSSELL 

(1T) 

BARRON BOYLE CLARKSON DEENY CONNORS MCCARTHY N TECTOR RUSSELL 


matchday 

Squads 

officials 

Jordan LARMOUR 

Rob RUSSELL 

Liam TURNER 

Ciarán FRAWLEY 

Dave KEARNEY 

Harry BYRNE 

Luke McGRATH 

15 

14 

13 

12 

11 

10 

9 

FULL BACK 

RIGHT WING 

OUTSIDE CENTRE 

INSIDE CENTRE 

LEFT WING 

FLY HALF 

SCRUM HALF 

Clayton BLOMMETJIES 

Suleiman HARTZENBERG 

Dan DU PLESSIS 

Damian WILLEMSE 

Seabelo SENATLA 

Manie LIBBOK 

Paul DE WET 

REFEREE: 

SAM GROVE-WHITE 

(SRU, 33RD COMPETITION GAME) 

ASSISTANT REFEREE: 

PETER MARTIN (IRFU) 

ASSISTANT REFEREE: 

KEANE DAVISON (IRFU) 

TMO: 

ANDREW MCMENEMY (SRU) 

Michael MILNE 

John McKEE 

Michael ALA’ALATOA 

Ross MOLONY 

Jason JENKINS 

Rhys RUDDOCK [C] 

Scott PENNY 

Max DEEGAN 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

LOOSE HEAD PROP 

HOOKER 

TIGHT HEAD PROP 

SECOND ROW 

SECOND ROW 

BLINDSIDE FLANKER 

OPENSIDE FLANKER 

NUMBER 8 

Steven KITSHOFF [C] 

Joseph DWEBA 

Frans MALHERBE 

Ruben VAN HEERDEN 

Marvin ORIE 

Deon FOURIE 

Ben-Jason DIXON 

Hacjivah DAYIMANI 

Lee BARRON 

Ed BYRNE 

Vakhtang ABDALADZE 

Brian DEENY 

Will CONNORS 

Nick McCARTHY 

Charlie TECTOR 

Ben BROWNLEE 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

REPLACEMENT 

JJ KOTZE 

Brok HARRIS 

Neethling FOUCHE 

Ernst VAN RHYN 

Willie ENGELBRECHT 

Marcel THEUNISSEN 

Herschel JANTJIES 

Jean-Luc DU PLESSIS

*Restrictions apply. 

*

Parting Shot 

18 March 2023 

Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile 

Johnny Sexton converts 

a penalty to become the 

all-time Six Nations points 

scorer during the Guinness 

Six Nations Rugby 

Championship match 

between Ireland and 

England at Aviva Stadium 

in Dublin.

Leinster Rugby vs DHL Stormers

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