Irish Rugby TV: Sunday’s Well Rebels.

October 27th 2018 was an important day in Irish Rugby history as Mixed Ability Rugby took a major step forward.

Sundays Well Rebels welcomed Bumble Bees Barbarians to Irish Independent Park.

The touring side formed in 2009 as England’s first team playing to play Mixed Ability Contact Rugby Union.

The Rebels formed in 2014 and had been looking forward to welcoming their Bradford counterparts to Cork for quite some time. 

“It was a momentous occasion,” said Rebels manager Liam Maher, “to have the first official mixed ability rugby played in Irish Independent Park here in our home pitch, sanctioned by the IRFU.

The amount of work that has gone into making that happen. Between our club executives and Nicky Comyn Senior Vice President of the IRFU, they have done untold work behind the scenes.”

The game itself was a thrilling occasion with the winning 31-22. The sides last met at the final of the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament in Bradford in 2015, a game also won by the Sundays Well men. 

It was a double winning day for Rebels out-half Michael Moynihan, who also lined out as prop for the Senior XV’s in their 20-8 victory over Dungannon in Division 2B of the All-Ireland League. 

Rebels team mates Joseph McCarthy Hayes and James Healy were happy with the result while also looking forward to making the most of Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2018.

A jazz quartet welcomed both teams into the club house after the game. “The bumbles are our major rivals, but they’re our friends as well,” said Joseph. 

It’s been a big year for the Rebels. It was announced in May that would be hosting the Sundays Well Rebels were also boosted with the news that they will be hosting the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament from June 7th to 12th, 2020. 

Liam Maher says, “We will have 24 teams from all over the world with 700 players playing 82 games over 5 days. We’re so excited. It’s been a long journey.”