Claasen To Lead Strong Buccaneers U-20 Management Trio

Buccaneers RFC have unveiled a strong management trio for their Under-20 Men’s Academy for the coming season. Darin Claasen will be head coach, assisted by Niall Moran, for a squad managed by Tommy Conlon.

Claasen is a vastly-experienced and highly qualified coach. He played for Buccaneers, where he is a Rugby Development Officer, following spells with Castlebar and Galway Corinthians.

He served as assistant coach to Brett Wilkinson with Buccaneers senior squad and succeeded his fellow South African as head coach at the Athlone club. During this period, Buccs enjoyed notable success, including promotion to Division 1A as well as gathering Connacht titles.

Claasen coached the Tullamore senior side in the interim, and was most recently assistant coach with the Connacht Men’s Junior squad. A classy and versatile back during his playing days, his influence on Buccs’ U-20s will be key to their development and achievements.

Meanwhile, Moran has a lifetime’s association with the midlanders, beginning as an Athlone RFC minis player. He has played at all levels with his hometown club, winning a Connacht Senior Cup in 1995, and a Junior Cup two seasons later.

He was part of the squad that won consecutive promotions into Division 1A of the All-Ireland League, and captained the Seconds to a Connacht Junior League title in 1999 (a rare achievement for the second string of a senior club).

Moran was duly recognised as Buccs’ Junior Player of the Year that season. He coached the Seconds to Connacht Junior Cup triumphs in 2003, 2004, and 2007, and has served in various other capacities including the seniors’ assistant manager, and fixtures secretary.

Along with coaching spells at Longford, Newbridge, and Athy, he was part of the Marist College coaching ticket that won successive Connacht Schools Senior Cups in 2012 and 2013. In the past two seasons, he helped coach the Buccs U-15 and U-16 teams to League and Cup doubles.

Moate native Conlon has had a passionate and generous involvement since the 1980s at the club, whom he captained to Connacht Senior League success in 1987, before they retained the trophy the following season.

He played in a number of Connacht Junior and Senior Cup finals, winning the latter in 1991. He proudly has the unique distinction of scoring the first ever try by any player in the then new All-Ireland League in 1990.

Conlon has served as Buccaneers Chairman of Football, was elected club President in 2002, and honoured as Club Person of the Year in 2017/18.

He now renews a managerial role that he also had when Claasen was in charge of the senior team at Dubarry Park. He can be counted on to leave no stone unturned in his quest to get the best out of this young squad.