Time for Ulster’s representatives in next season’s Roots & All project to step forward…
My name is Robert Ford, and I am the Rugby Development officer at Queen’s University Belfast, and during the season I will be writing a blog for Harpin on Rugby detailing goings on at the club, and occasionally just voicing my own opinions on issues in Rugby.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the club, we are the second oldest Rugby club in Ireland (behind Trinity I believe) and have a proud history. The club has produced a number of high profile players who have gone on to represent Ulster, Ireland and indeed the British and Irish Lions.
The club’s long roll of honour includes Jack Kyle, Trevor Ringland, Nigel Carr, David Irwin and in more recent years David Humphreys, Gary Longwell, Tommy Bowe, Ian Whitten and Ian Porter. This past season, Queen’s players James McKinney and Iain Henderson both featured for the senior Ulster side.
We pride ourselves on player development, and Queen’s sides are known for their attractive Rugby and expansive style. We currently have four men’s sides, and a recently re-established women’s side who this season won their Ulster Qualifying league, the CUSAI Intervarsity Division 2 and Carrick Ladies 10s competition. Our men’s 1st XV team, coached by Patrick Armstrong play in Division 2a Of the Ulster Bank All Ireland League and last season were very unlucky to miss out on promotion because of an inferior points difference to local rivals Malone RFC.
University Rugby is unique due to the cyclical nature of the player pool, with so many players leaving at the end of each season and a huge influx of new freshers each September. To give an insight, come September we will have around 120 players training, both male and female from numerous countries, ranging in experience from complete beginners to future internationals- interesting mix to say the least.
I’m sure there will be another few updates between now and the start of the season, but for now I will leave you with a highlights video of our 1st xv from last season and a few photos of our first game in our new sports facilities, against Greystones last October.
