England Students 30 v Irish Colleges 14

played at Henly-on-Thames Rugby Club - Report by Brendan Johnston ( ICRU-PRO)



After the overwhelming win over the Scottish University side by England Students, Irish Colleges approached their final game against the England Students knowing that the game on Friday evening at the Henly-upon-Thames venue would provide the strongest opposition for them to date. This game was the final game in the inaugural year of the Four Nations Students Rugby Tournament with the winners of the game receiving the Grand Slam accolade.
From the first whistle the expected vigour and strength that the English side had shown in previous games manifested itself in a clear fashion when after continued and sustained pressure England Students chalked up their first score of the evening with a try in the 4th minute by prop Adrian Griffiths and again in the 13th minute by right wing Andrew Wright.Irish Colleges gradually made their presence felt and were awarded a penalty in the 15th minute successfully taken by Phil de Barra .Colleges registered their only try in the 18th minute in a majical moment when winger David Rowan ran from centre field and in the processs,slipped a number of tackles before John Nicol received the ball and went over for the score.
De Barra failed to convert. In the closing minutes of the first half,England Students were awarded a successful penalty which left the score at half time 13pts to 8pts.
In the second half Colleges were awarded two penalties in the 42thand 50thminute both taken successfully by De Barra leaving the score 14pts to13pts in favour of Colleges.It was clear at this stage that Colleges were continually taking advantage and progressing at a favourable pace and were beginning to bring their attacking ideas into play. England Students had a missed opportunity to surge ahead in the 52nd minute when a penalty kick failed to go over. Colleges were motoring on all fronts when the sin-binning of two their players, Ian Cullinan and Stephen Snell in quick succession in the 55 and 62 minute was to turn the pace of the game over to England Students.With this number advantage, England students used all the attacking opportunities afforded to them, by using the full potential of all their players.In a short period of time,they rattled off 17pts with two tries in the 63 and 68 minute by Tom Hockedy and another in the 68 minute scored by Tim Stevenson who converted one.This now left the score in their favour 30 pts to 14pts.The Irish Colleges side were defending desperately with great courage and fervour but with few opportunities of getting the ball into the England half. The defensive performance of the colleges side, particularly during this period, won them great praise at this well attended game.There were many fine performances from both sides on the night with England Students winning comfortably and awarded this years Grand Slam accolade.

Irish Colleges
John Nicol Stranmillis College,Belfas( Ballymena)Philip Howard,Design Inst Art Tech Dun Laoghaire(Clontarf)Paddy O'Toole,Garda( College(Connemara)Mick O'Shea, Garda College(Suttonians)
David Rowan ,Inst Art Design Tech Dun Laoghaire (Blackrock)Phil DeBarra ,Institute of Technology Carlow (DLSP)Brendan O�Brien,Blackhall Place, Dublin(Wanderers)Shane Cahill,Dun Laoghaire VEC(Blackrock)James Taggart,University of Ulster,Jordonstown,Ballymena
Stephen Snell,National College of Ireland(Greystones)Barry Holmes,Damien Carley,Institute of Technology ,Carlow(Co Carlow)Ben Reilly,Dublin City University,(Suttonians)John Downey,Sallynoggin VEC(Greystones)Dan Kenny, Dun Laoghaire VEC(Greystones)
Hugh Hogan,Griffith College Dublin (St.Marys)
Replacements:
Alan Guiry,Limerick Institute of Technology,(Nenagh)Jason Taggert,University of Ulster @ Jordanstown (Ballymena) Jonathan Morgan University of Ulster Jordonstown,(Ballymena),Damien Carley Institute of Technology Carlow(Co Carlow) Ian Cullinan,National University Ireland Galway(Galwegians)Brian Moroney,Institute of Technology Tallagh(Terenure)
Craig Morrin,Institute of Technology Tallaght(St Mary�s)Darragh Fanning,Institute of Technology Tallaght(St.Mary's
England Students
Kevin Davis ,(Oxford University),Aaron Liffchack,(Hertfordshire University),Joe Horn-Smith,(Exeter Univ),Matthew Cross,(Loughborough),Jonathan Moyce,(St Marys College),Ian Kench,(Loughborough), Robert Anderson ICSM (Imperial Medics),Adrian Griffiths,(University of Bath),Andries Pretorious,(Hartpury College),Peter Clarke,(Oxford),Michael Denbee,(Plymouth)James Lumby,(Cambridge University),Dominic Shaw,(Newcastle),Toby Henry,(Oxford).Tristan Roberts,UWE (Hartpury)
Christopher Ashwin,(University of Bath),Andrew Wrigh,(Loughborough),Phillip Ellis,(University of Hertfordshire)Thomas Gregory,(Oxford University).Drew Locke,(Northumbria University).Thomas Hockedy,(Exeter).Scott Armstrong,(Leeds Metropolitan).Peter Wackett,(Leeds).Tom Jarvis,(Hartpury College)

Referee David Walker SRU
Touch Judges Ashley Rowden RFU Paul Rowan RFU

 

English Students V Irish Colleges Rugby Union - Preview by Brendan Johnston (ICRU- PRO)

Irish Colleges Squad prior to their recent match versus the Combined Services U23

 

Irish Colleges Rugby Union V English Students Preview 

The defeat by England Students over the Scottish Universities by 42 pts to nil on Friday  last will certainly be very much in the mind of  the Irish Colleges side when they  take the field for their final match in the Four Nations Students Rugby Tournament on Friday night at Henley-on –Thames-kick off 8pm.

With two wins from two games, head coach Eamonn Molloy assisted by Eoin Hogan and Chris Galway will address this final game with confidence and are determined to return home with the Gran Slam accolade.

The Irish Colleges had the perfect start to their current campaign in this inaugural 4 Four Nations Colleges Student Rugby Tournament when they defeated the UK Combines Forces U23 by 40 pts to nil in London in mid February. Colleges also defeated the Scottish Universities by 45 pts to 8 pts at the University of Ulster ,Jordanstown  campus in their most recent game. The English Students are recognised as the top student team in the United Kingdom and will certainly have strength in depth.

Irish Colleges have an affiliated membership of thirty nine Colleges and Universities. Colleges have always seen the importance of the domestic and representative playing programme. Indeed the original committee were instrumental in getting all four nations involved, and became outright winners in the first competition in 1988.

In past years they have played the Japanese Universities, South African Technicons, Holland U 23'S and Belgium U 21 teams and more recently, the Canadian U21’s.

 

Moss Dineen (ICRU International Match Secretary) commented,

“We are delighted that our team has done so well in their first two games ,and we are particularly  pleased that both the French students and Welsh students have shown an interest in participating in next years tournament.'' Moss has a long involvement in Irish Colleges having recently combined the dual role of President of Irish Colleges with that of President of City of Derry Rugby Club.

 

Irish Colleges Team  V English Students

 

Date:            Friday 14^th March 2008

 

Venue:         Henley Rugby Club, Oxfordshire.       Kick-off 8pm

 

Forwards:

Name                                      College                                               Club

15    John Nicol                        Stranmillis College,Belfast                     Ballymena

14    Philip Howard                  Design Inst Art Tech Dun Laoghaire      Clontarf

13    Paddy O'Toole                 Garda                                                   Connemara

12    Mick O'Shea                    Garda                                                   Suttonians

11    David Rowan                   Inst Art Design Tech Dun Laoghaire      Blackrock

10    Phil DeBarra                    Institute of Technology Carlow DLSP

  9    Brendan O’Brien              Blackhall Place, Dublin             Wanderers

  1    Shane Cahill                     Dun Laoghaire VEC                             Blackrock

  2    James Taggart                  University of Ulster, Jordanstown          Ballymena

  3    Stephen Snell                    National College of Ireland                   Greystones

  4    Barry Holmes                   Dublin Institute of Technology   Greystones

  5    Ben Reilly                        Dublin City University               Suttonians

  6    John Downey                   Sallynoggin VEC                                  Greystones

  8    Dan Kenny                       Dun Laoghaire VEC                             Greystones

  7    Hugh Hogan                     Griffith College Dublin               St.Marys

 

           

 

 16   Alan Guiry                       

 17   Jonny Morgan                  University of Ulster, Jordanstown         Belfast Harlequins                        
 18   Ian Cullinan                      National University Ireland Galway       Galwegians

19 Brian Moroney                 Institute of Technology Tallagh          Terenure

 20  Brian Collins                      Inst of Technology Blanchardstown       Old Belvedere
 21  Craig Morrin                     Institute of Technology Tallaght St Mary’s

 22  Darragh Fanning                Institute of Technology Tallaght St.Marys

 23  Damien Carley                 Institute of Technology Carlow   Co Carlow

 24 Richard O Neill                 Institute of Technology Tallagh         Terenure

 

Manager                     Moss Dineen 

Assistant Manager      Mick Poole

Head Coach                 Eamonn Molloy 

Assistant Coaches       Eoin Hogan, Chris Galway