Staff Involvement

 

Director of Rugby – Mr George Naoupu

Senior 1 & 2 Rugby – Mr Mark McGrath

Senior 3 Rugby – Ms Fiona McCarthy & Mr Gareth Pelly

Development XV (TY & 5th) – Ms Laura McKay & Mr George Naoupu

Junior Rugby – Mr Bobby Byrne, Mr Ray Bourke, Mr Conor McCrossan & Mr Paul Kieran

U15 (2nd Year) Rugby – Mr George Naoupu 

U14 (1st Year) Rugby – Mr Robert McCarthy & Ms Cliodhna Denny

 

Facilities

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• The school has four rugby pitches which are used for training and matches. All of these pitches are on the school site. Three of the pitches (Senior, Junior & U15) are adjacent to one another at the back of the school. The fourth pitch (U14) is in isolation to the east of the school, adjacent to the science block. 

• In September 2020, work was completed on our state of the art artificial pitch on the site of the former Senior pitch. This amazing floodlit facility will allow the College to train in any weather conditions and also avail of the floodlights during the winter months. 

• We have an indoor sports hall to the rear of the school which is sometimes used for fitness training/indoor sessions.

• We have a state of the art weights room overlooking the back rugby pitches. The weights room contains both fixed and free weights equipment.

• We currently have 13 rugby changing rooms, adjacent to the sports hall, which are used for both home and away teams, and for training. There are shower and toilet facilities available here.

 

Teams

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We have large numbers of students playing rugby, as it is the main autumn/winter sport in the school.

 

Senior 1st & 2nd XV

 

• The Senior 1st & 2nd XV teams are coached by Declan Fassbender, Tom McKewon, Ross McKeever, Stephen McMahon, Paul Wilson, Hugo McLaughlin, managed by Mark McGrath.

• We also have a team consisting of parents with a medical background who offer to help out on match days and Physio Aisling Frawley.

• All teams play regular fixtures against schools in Leinster, and sometimes further afield.

• The senior players also have strength and conditioning sessions during the week with Chris Coburn.

• The Senior 1st XV participate in the Leinster School’s Division 1A League which runs from October to December of the school year.

• We have won eight Senior League titles since its inception in 1994, the most recent being in the 2023/24 season. (2005, 2007, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023)

• The Senior 1st XV participate annually in the Leinster School’s Senior Cup competition, held between January and March of the school year.

• We have reached the final of this competition three times, 2019, 2022 & winning the Senior Cup for the first time in 2023, with semi-finals in 2016 & 2024.  We have won the Vinnie Murray Cup on two occasions.

• The Senior 2nd XV participate annually in the Leinster School’s 2nd XV League which runs from January to March of the school year.

• We have won one 2nd XV League Division One title since its inception in 1987.

 

 

Senior 3rd XV

 

• The Senior 3rd XV are coached and managed by Gareth Pelly and Fiona McCarthy.

• They train on Tuesdays 3:45pm with scheduled matches on a Wednesday.

• This team consists of 6th Years at a social level.

• The team compete in Senior 4th Social league from January to March.

 

 

Development XV

 

• The team are coached by George Naoupu and managed by Laura Mc Kay.

• This team is a blend of TY and 5th Years.

• They train Mondays 3:45pm, with scheduled matches on a Wednesday.

• They also have a gym session on Tuesdays 4:45pm

• The team participate annually in the TY/5th Year League competition which runs from January to March of the school year.

 

Junior 1st, 2nd & 3rd XV

 

• The Junior 1st, 2nd & 3rd XV teams are coached by Bobby Byrne, Ray Bourke, Conor McCrossan, Tom O’Donnell, Jack Dempsey and managed by Paul Kieran.

• They train on Monday, Tuesday & Thursdays, with matches on Wednesday/Saturday.

• The Junior players also have gym and conditioning sessions during the week with Jack Dempsey.

• The Junior 1st XV participate in the Leinster School’s Division 1A League which runs from October to December of the school year.

• We have won three Junior League titles since its inception in 1995.

• The Junior 1st XV participate annually in the Leinster School’s Junior Cup competition, held between January and March of the school year.

• We have reached three finals of this competition (1989, 2003 and 2006) but we are yet to win it.

• The Junior 2nd XV play regular fixtures during the year and participate in a League competition between January and March of the school year.

• We have won two Junior 2nd XV Division 2 titles since its inception in 1996.

• The Junior 3rd XV play regular fixtures during the year and participate in a League competition between January and March of the school year.

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U15 Rugby

 

• The U15 teams are coached by George Naoupu.

• They train on Tuesday & Thursday, with matches on Wednesday/Saturday.

• The U15 teams play regular fixtures during the year, probably more than any other age group.

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U14 Rugby

 

• The U14 teams are coached by Shane Moore and managers by Robert McCarthy & Cliodnha Denny.

• All U14 players are encouraged to play rugby.

• They train on Monday & Thursday, with matches on Wednesday/Saturday.

• Most of their rugby until October mid-term is based on a 10-a-side format, to encourage maximum participation, and there are various blitz competitions with other local schools during that time.

• We regularly field at least three, sometimes four teams at U14.

• The U14 teams play regular fixtures during the year.

 

Student Coaches

 

• The rugby program also require the assistance of student coaches who are not named in a specific team, but offer their time to coach between 1st Year and 2nd Years or where needed.

• They are Daniel Baugh, Patrick Cassidy, Davy Colbert, Cian Connolly, Tim Cotter, Ben Delaney, Hugh Goddard, Oscar O’Neill, Euan O’Riordan and Michael Sullivan.

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