I won’t begin to pretend that HarpinOnRugby is “covering” the Leinster Schools Senior Cup this season…that job is being ably done by the likes of the Heave radio show/podcast from Dublin South FM, Knockon.ie website and of course Setanta Sports who this week showed all four quarterfinals live.
But I will say this…having attended two first round matches and been able to record & watch back all of the quarterfinals, if that’s the standard of the rugby that’s coming through the ranks, the future for Irish rugby is certainly bright.
And before I go on…I’m not suggesting for a second that the standard in Leinster is any better than in the other provinces, it’s just that’s all I have been able to see.
The four semifinalists this year are holders St.Michaels, Roscrea, Newbridge College and my alma mater Blackrock College – congratulations to all of them, and whatever way the semifinal draw works out they are bound to be fascinating ties.
We certainly can’t go without acknowledging the valiant efforts of the vanquished schools this week either…Clongowes, Terenure, CBC Monkstown and Kilkenny certainly played their part in four cracking contests this week.
And even going back to the first round, I can’t forget watching St Gerards coach, the former Ireland international Eric Miller look on as his team were being defeated by Clongowes at Templeville Road. His side were well beaten on the day but even so you could see how emotionally invested he was in his team and to me that’s what this level of rugby is all about.
When watching the lads play you can see the effort that has been put in throughout the year and the only regret I have had watching this year’s contests to date has been that one team has had to be the losing side each time. I’ll fall JUST short of trotting out the dreadful cliché “they’re all winners”, but from the players themselves to their families, coaches, and of course their fellow schoolmates who don the jerseys and live through every minute of every game, they certainly do deserve to be applauded. Bravo. JLP
