The Ireland Students take on England at College Park on Saturday (kick-off 3pm) in a match that is expected to draw a large crowd to the Trinity College venue.
The game is seen as the first step towards re-establishing a full schedule of international fixtures for third level amateur players. Derek McGrath, President of the Irish Universities Rugby Union and former head of the ERC, believes third level rugby has a vital role to play within the existing framework.
“There was a time when the Irish Universities had regular international games – they were the first Irish team to beat a major touring nation when they defeated South Africa in 1965 – but those games have been squeezed out,” said McGrath.
“We believe it is important to have a representative outlet for students who do not wish to pursue a pro career but still want to play high level rugby.”
The Ireland team, picked exclusively from amateur students, is captained by Paddy Lavelle, one of eight players from the host university, Trinity College. Admission is free and with no competing professional fixtures, organisers are hoping for a large turnout.
IRELAND STUDENTS (v England Students): C Kearns (Dublin University); C Ansbro (UCC), P Farrell (Queen’s University), P Lavelle (Dublin University) (capt), M McFarland (Dublin University); L Bourke (UCD), C O’Reagan (UCC); C Slowey (UCC), P Finlay (Dublin University), A Keating (Dublin University), B Mitchell (UCC), J Burke (Dublin University), N McCarthy (Dublin University), B du Toit (Dublin University), T Ryan (Dublin University).
Replacements: J Moloney (NUIG), T Cusack (Mary Immaculate College), L Mitchell (Maynooth University), R Tyrell (DU), P Marks (Queen’s University), J Glynn (UCD), J McDermott (Dublin University), M Courtney (Dublin University).
A special function is being held in Trinity before the game to honour the Combined Universities side of 1965 who became the first Irish team to defeat a major touring nation when they beat South Africa 12-10 at Thomond Park.
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Tuesday, April 6, 1965 – Thomond Park – Attendance; 12,000
Combined Universities 12 (Tries: McGuire, Grimshaw; Pen: Hickie; Drops: Murray 2). South Africa 10 (Tries: Schoeman 2; Cons: Stewart 2)
COMBINED UNIVERSITIES: A Hickie (UCD); M Lucey (UCC), J Walsh (UCC) (capt), M Grimshaw (Queen’s University), W Glynn (UCD); J Murray (UCD), W Whiteside (Queen’s University); A Moroney (UCD), M Argyle (Dublin University), M Carey (UCD), O Waldron (UCC), M Leahy (UCC), E Maguire (UCG), J Davidson (Queen’s University), H Wall (UCC).
SOUTH AFRICA: D Stewart; C Dirksen, W Mans, J Gainsford, G Cilliers; G Barnard, D Vos; J Marais, A Wessels, J Heathling, G Careleiss, M Suter, D Hopwood, J Schoeman, A Malan (capt)
ALL-TIME IRISH UNIVERSITIES XV:
15. Hugo MacNeill (Dublin University)
14. Denis Hickie (UCD)
13. Brendan Mullin (Dublin University)
12. Jerry Walsh (UCC)
11. Moss Finn (UCC)
10. Jackie Kyle (Queen’s University)
9. Peter Stringer (UCC)
1. Phil Orr (Dublin University)
2. Jerry Flannery (UCC)
3. Mike Ross (UCC)
4. Paddy Johns (Dublin University)
5. Donal Lenihan (UCC)
6. Philip Matthews (Queen’s University)
7. Nigel Carr (Queen’s University)
8. Brian Spillane (UCC)
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