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Rugby players gain representative honours

Thursday, 06 March 2008

SEVEN players from AIB League clubs in Dublin were part of the Ireland rugby team that recently beat Scotland in a highly entertaining club international game at Donnybrook.
Clontarf duo Max Rantz McDonald and Simon Crawford were joined by Lansdowne’s Alan Maher and Greg Stafford, St Mary’s’ Hugh Hogan and Rob Sweeney and Ruairi Cusheen of Old Belvedere in the Irish team that claimed a five-point victory over their Scottish club counterparts.
The game, which took place a day before Ireland’s Six Nations Rugby clash with Scotland at Croke Park, was part of the IRFU’s Community Rugby Programme, which gives non-contracted players the opportunity to win representative honours for their country.
The players in the Ireland squad were selected throughout the AIB League season to date with club coaches asked to put forward names of opposition players that had impressed them.
Speaking before the game, Ireland coach Brian Walsh said he hoped for an entertaining match, with the Irish players showing the enthusiasm of previous years.
He wasn’t to be disappointed, as two evenly matched teams played out an open running game that remained right in the balance until virtually the last minute.
Clontarf’s McDonald certainly took his opportunity by grabbing a 12th minute try that put the Irish into a lead they were never to relinquish.
Leading 11-8 at half time, the Irish stretched their lead out to 20-8 in the second half, although a late Scottish converted try kept the visitors in the game.
Ireland held on for a memorable win to leave Mr Walsh a particularly happy man.
”The opportunity to represent Irish rugby at any level is an honour which the players were well aware of and something that many of them may not have the chance to gain or to do again,” Mr Walsh said.

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