Irish Rugby Squad - Origins

eyescreamcone

What schools did the Irish Rugby Squad go to???

Declan Kidney - Presentation College Cork (teacher/coach)

Brian O'Driscoll - Blackrock College
Ronan O'Gara - Presentation College, Cork
Donnacha O'Callaghnan - Christian Bothers, Cork

Can you please add to the list??

Which school has the biggest representation???

robodonkey

Cian Healy, Belvedere College.

vkid

POC - Ard scoil Ris
Fla - Munchins
Earls - Munchins
Murray - Munchins
Reddan - Crescent


i think

AngeGal

Geordan Murphy Newbridge
Luke Fitzgerald Blackrock
Donnacha O'Callaghan CBC, Cork
Denis Leamy Rockwell, Tipp
Jonny Sexton St Mary's College Dublin

phog

Here's the squad.

Rory Best
Isaac Boss
Tommy Bowe
Tony Buckley
Tom Court
Sean Cronin
Leo Cullen
Gordon D'Arcy
Keith Earls
Stephen Ferris
Cian Healy
Jamie Heaslip
Shane Jennings
Rob Kearney
Denis Leamy
Fergus McFadden
Geordan Murphy
Conor Murray
Sean O'Brien
Donncha O'Callaghan
Paul O'Connell
Brian O'Driscoll
Ronan O'Gara
Eoin Reddan
Mike Ross
Donnacha Ryan
Jonathan Sexton
Andrew Trimble
Paddy Wallace

borna7

Rory Best, Portadown College
Andrew Trimble, Coleraine Inst.
Paddy Wallace, Campbell College, Belfast
Tommy Bowe, Royal School Armagh
Stephen Ferris, Friends, Lisburn

ormond lad

donnacha ryan, nenagh cbs, went to munchins the year after making irish youths, Nenagh Ormond RFC

eyescreamcone

phog wrote: »

Here's the squad.

Rory Best - Portadown College
Isaac Boss - Tokoroa, New Zealand
Tommy Bowe - Royal School, Armagh
Tony Buckley - Newbridge College
Tom Court - Lowood State High School, Australia
Sean Cronin - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Leo Cullen - Blackrock College
Gordon D'Arcy - Clongowes Wood College
Keith Earls - St. Munchins
Stephen Ferris - Friends' School, Lisburn
Cian Healy - Belvedere College
Jamie Heaslip - Newbridge College
Shane Jennings - St. Marys College, Dublin
Rob Kearney - Clongowes Wood College
Denis Leamy - Rockwell College
Fergus McFadden - Clongowes Wood College
Geordan Murphy - Newbridge
Conor Murray - St. Munchins
Sean O'Brien - Tullow Community School
Donncha O'Callaghan - CBC, Cork
Paul O'Connell - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Brian O'Driscoll - Blackrock College
Ronan O'Gara - PBC, Cork
Eoin Reddan - Crescent Comprehensive
Mike Ross - St. Colemans College, Fermoy
Donnacha Ryan - Nenagh CBS/St. Munchins
Jonathan Sexton - St Marys College, Dublin
Andrew Trimble - Coleraine Inst.
Paddy Wallace - Campbell College, Belfast

It might be easier to edit the list from here in

GerM

phog wrote: »

Here's the squad.

Rory Best - Portadown College
Isaac Boss
Tommy Bowe -
Tony Buckley
Tom Court
Sean Cronin - Ard Scoil Ris
Leo Cullen - Blackrock
Gordon D'Arcy - Clongowes
Keith Earls - Munchins
Stephen Ferris
Cian Healy - Belvedere
Jamie Heaslip - Newbridge
Shane Jennings - St. Marys
Rob Kearney - Clongowes
Denis Leamy - Rockwell
Fergus McFadden - Clongowes
Geordan Murphy - Newbridge
Conor Murray - Munchins
Sean O'Brien -
Donncha O'Callaghan - CBC
Paul O'Connell - Ard Scoil Ris
Brian O'Driscoll - Blackrock
Ronan O'Gara - Pres
Eoin Reddan - Crescent
Mike Ross
Donnacha Ryan
Jonathan Sexton - St. Marys
Andrew Trimble - Coleraine
Paddy Wallace - Campbell College

Most of the others didn't go to a rugby school or I don't have a clue.

ormond lad

Rory Best - Portadown College
Isaac Boss
Tommy Bowe - Royal School, Armagh
Tony Buckley - Newbridge College
Tom Court
Sean Cronin - Ard Scoil Ris Limerick
Leo Cullen - Blackrock College
Gordon D'Arcy - Clongowes Wood
Keith Earls - St. Munchins
Stephen Ferris - Friends' School, Lisburn
Cian Healy - Belvedere College
Jamie Heaslip - Newbridge
Shane Jennings - St Marys
Rob Kearney - Clongowes
Denis Leamy - Rockwell College
Fergus McFadden - Clongowes
Geordan Murphy - Newbridge
Conor Murray - St. Munchins
Sean O'Brien - Tullow Community School
Donncha O'Callaghan - CBC, Cork
Paul O'Connell - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Brian O'Driscoll - Blackrock College
Ronan O'Gara - PBC, Cork
Eoin Reddan - Crescent Comprehensive
Mike Ross -
Donnacha Ryan - Nenagh CBS+ Nenagh Ormond rfc/St. Munchins
Jonathan Sexton - St Marys College, Dublin
Andrew Trimble - Coleraine Inst.
Paddy Wallace - Campbell College, Belfast

profitius

How many didn't go to rugby schools? I think SOB and Ferris didn't.

Bogsnorkler

Mike Ross went to St. Colemans, Fermoy. I think.

d'Oracle

Boss and Court went To the Foreign School of Foreigners in Foreign town, Foreign.

eyescreamcone

Rory Best - Portadown College
Isaac Boss - Tokoroa, New Zealand
Tommy Bowe - Royal School, Armagh
Tony Buckley - Newbridge College
Tom Court - Lowood State High School, Australia
Sean Cronin - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Leo Cullen - Blackrock College
Gordon D'Arcy - Clongowes Wood College
Keith Earls - St. Munchins
Stephen Ferris - Friends' School, Lisburn
Cian Healy - Belvedere College
Jamie Heaslip - Newbridge College
Shane Jennings - St. Marys College, Dublin
Rob Kearney - Clongowes Wood College
Denis Leamy - Rockwell College
Fergus McFadden - Clongowes Wood College
Geordan Murphy - Newbridge
Conor Murray - St. Munchins
Sean O'Brien - Tullow Community School
Donncha O'Callaghan - CBC, Cork
Paul O'Connell - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Brian O'Driscoll - Blackrock College
Ronan O'Gara - PBC, Cork
Eoin Reddan - Crescent Comprehensive
Mike Ross - St. Colemans College, Fermoy
Donnacha Ryan - Nenagh CBS/St. Munchins
Jonathan Sexton - St Marys College, Dublin
Andrew Trimble - Coleraine Inst.
Paddy Wallace - Campbell College, Belfast

St. Munchins, Blackrock, Newbridge and Clongowes all have 3
Good to see a few 'non rugby schools' represented though!

Poor enough representation from Cork

GerM

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Poor enough representation from Cork

Equally poor from Dublin really if you take into account that they've over twice the population and one of the five Dublin school goers (Leo Cullen) is actually from Wicklow.

profitius

Its poor from Cork alright but then again theres only 2 rugby schools in Cork city which is not enough.

Flincher

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Rory Best - Portadown College
Isaac Boss - Tokoroa, New Zealand
Tommy Bowe - Royal School, Armagh
Tony Buckley - Newbridge College
Tom Court - Lowood State High School, Australia
Sean Cronin - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Leo Cullen - Blackrock College
Gordon D'Arcy - Clongowes Wood College
Keith Earls - St. Munchins
Stephen Ferris - Friends' School, Lisburn
Cian Healy - Belvedere College
Jamie Heaslip - Newbridge College
Shane Jennings - St. Marys College, Dublin
Rob Kearney - Clongowes Wood College
Denis Leamy - Rockwell College
Fergus McFadden - Clongowes Wood College
Geordan Murphy - Newbridge
Conor Murray - St. Munchins
Sean O'Brien - Tullow Community School
Donncha O'Callaghan - CBC, Cork
Paul O'Connell - Ard Scoil Ris, Limerick
Brian O'Driscoll - Blackrock College
Ronan O'Gara - PBC, Cork
Eoin Reddan - Crescent Comprehensive
Mike Ross - St. Colemans College, Fermoy
Donnacha Ryan - Nenagh CBS/St. Munchins
Jonathan Sexton - St Marys College, Dublin
Andrew Trimble - Coleraine Inst.
Paddy Wallace - Campbell College, Belfast

St. Munchins, Blackrock, Newbridge and Clongowes all have 3
Good to see a few 'non rugby schools' represented though!

Poor enough representation from Cork

Both Flannery and Varley were Munchins so that would bring their numbers to 5 of the 31 that have flown out.

More importantly, Ardscoil 2 - 1 Comp

mfceiling

profitius wrote: »

How many didn't go to rugby schools? I think SOB and Ferris didn't.

Friends school is a rugby school

Remember hammering playing them years ago at school...

borna7

Yeah Friends is a rugby school but not one of the big boys. Think Ferris left when 16 anyway and not sure if he even played much for the school.

Cork may be poorly represented but what about Belfast. Only one in Paddy Wallace!! Given Methody, Campbell College and Belfast Inst are the biggest rugby schools in Northern Ireland that's fairly shocking.

nice_guy80

Did nobody go to a school in Connacht and get a real education and some culture thrown in??
Pity.

eyescreamcone

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Did nobody go to a school in Connacht and get a real education and some culture thrown in??
Pity.

Are there schools in Connacht???

Monty Burnz

eyescreamcone wrote: »

Are there schools in Connacht???

The walls are made of hedge.

I look forward to seeing a few Connacht products in the squad in the next WC.

durkadurka

Monty Burnz wrote: »

The walls are made of hedge.

I look forward to seeing a few Connacht products in the squad in the next WC.

Always interested in hedge...

astonaidan

People out west find it hard to make it due to being so spread out making it hard to make trainings for connaught juniors know a few lads who gave up having to hitch 50miles to training, Where areas like Cork, Limerick, Dublin, Belfast have a more tightly packed rugby community, Clubs arent as spread apart and such

davegrohl48

I agree with the last few posters re Connaught. It's why I think those counties should be allowed put representative teams into the schools cup. Mayo would have had Ballina/Westport/Ballyhaunis/(Castlebar I think?) as rugby clubs feeding into schools. Then you could have had the odd player from other schools.
I feel it would really benefit some lads who currently wouldn't be playing soccer/gaa or any sport in school as they may not be physically suited for that. If yer a very big slowish lad there is not much sport for you but you might be fit enough with training to make a start as a prop. Even though admittedly the rest of the country would have a big headstart but I mean it's a start and better than what happens currently. Especially if they started way back in junior cup and first years tournament if there is one?
We took it upon ourselves to play some rugby at lunchtime one summer and alot of the best lads at it were not playing soccer or gaa but could run straight through us. It was very enjoyable and a little bit crazy.

profitius

Maybe rural teams should focus on 7's. At least they'll learn the basics of rugby and its not complicated.

ormond lad

profitius wrote: »

Maybe rural teams should focus on 7's. At least they'll learn the basics of rugby and its not complicated.

or play 10 a sides,
in east munster at u17/19 for the past few years there has been 7 or 10 a side tournaments at the beginning of the season and some in the middle of the season
Very few scrums/lineouts, plenty of time for everyone on the ball and a great way for improving fitness for those lads who wouldnt have done much over the summer while others are still playing GAA.

davegrohl48

We had full contact, uncontested scrums, lineouts, had to leave ball to opposition after ruck settled Lineouts I remember just as I was about to jump being lifted off the ground and held in the air by two huge lads Then dropped like a stone after onto my arse No referee No kicking of penalties For a small school we had two lads who could prop One played bit club Other was an ox around six foot One game ran late n we had to apologise for playing rugby Big ignorant smiles on our faces uniforms destroyed

joshrogan

Brian O'Driscoll was rejected from Belvedere when he was younger.

davegrohl48

You would worry that we will end up goin for size over skill in the youths game Think New Zealand have weight based underage teams ODriscoll would be even more disadvantaged nowadays in school Bigger emphasis on weight training Not much use for a late bloomer like him

thebaz

joshrogan wrote: »

Brian O'Driscoll was rejected from Belvedere when he was younger.

Why ? sounds like the myth, that he didnt make the Rock sct team

snotboogie

profitius wrote: »

Its poor from Cork alright but then again theres only 2 rugby schools in Cork city which is not enough.

There are 4 Cork players in the squad the same number that there are from Dublin....

flynninio

was flannery born in galway? just wondering

astonaidan

davegrohl48 wrote: »

You would worry that we will end up goin for size over skill in the youths game Think New Zealand have weight based underage teams ODriscoll would be even more disadvantaged nowadays in school Bigger emphasis on weight training Not much use for a late bloomer like him

Id agree with that, I was played scrum half because of my size when I was younger when I was more suited to 10, It was only about 17 that they considered me big enough for 10 and that was mostly because I refused to play sh anymore, With the weight class I would have been 10 earlier and fancy having progressed alot more, Instead I focused more on soccer. Saying that my nephew is playing hooker in first year of school and hes looking a tank so enjoying that

durkadurka

I'm always surprised how few players that terenure contribute over time.

Superbus

thebaz wrote: »

Why ? sounds like the myth, that he didnt make the Rock sct team

He didn't make the JCT, but was only the bench scrum-half as a 5th Year for the '96 Dream Team. Started at out-half in '97, and missed 4 drop goals in the last few minutes of the semi-final against Clongowes.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

flynninio wrote: »

was flannery born in galway? just wondering

Yeah he was born in Galway City but his family either didn't live there or else moved to Limerick when he was very young, not sure which, either way he did most of his growing up in Limerick.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

For the craic


Rory Best - Armagh
Isaac Boss - New Zealand
Tommy Bowe - Monaghan
Tony Buckley - Cork
Tom Court - Australia
Sean Cronin - Limerick
Leo Cullen - Wicklow
Gordon D'Arcy - Wexford
Keith Earls - Limerick
Stephen Ferris - Antrim
Cian Healy - Dublin
Jamie Heaslip - Born in Isreal but raised in.....Kildare???
Shane Jennings - Dublin
Rob Kearney - Louth
Denis Leamy - Tipperary
Fergus McFadden - Kilkenny
Geordan Murphy - Dublin
Conor Murray - Limerick
Sean O'Brien - Carlow
Donncha O'Callaghan - Cork
Paul O'Connell - Limerick
Brian O'Driscoll - Dublin
Ronan O'Gara - Cork
Eoin Reddan - Limerick
Mike Ross - Cork
Donnacha Ryan - Limerick
Jonathan Sexton - Dublin
Andrew Trimble - Derry
Paddy Wallace - Down

Limerick - 6
Dublin - 5
Cork - 4
Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Derry, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Monaghan, Tipperary, Wexford, Wicklow - 1

GerM

davegrohl48 wrote: »

You would worry that we will end up goin for size over skill in the youths game Think New Zealand have weight based underage teams ODriscoll would be even more disadvantaged nowadays in school Bigger emphasis on weight training Not much use for a late bloomer like him

BOD was one chunky kid. Don't buy this "I was small for my age" lark!

:pac:

durkadurka

He has the look of a lad who'll be a bit 'short for his weight' once he hangs up his boots.

GerM

durkadurka wrote: »

He has the look of a lad who'll be a bit 'short for his weight' once he hangs up his boots.

Officially known as Scott Gibbs syndrome. I enjoy when he appears alongside Ibanez on BBC and I get my nephews to try and guess which one was the former front row player.

irishh_bob

is thier a single one of them who didnt go to a fee paying school ?

durkadurka

Sean o brien

irishh_bob

durkadurka wrote: »

Sean o brien

the farmer , i suppose the bull went to a state run school too

Monty Burnz

irishh_bob wrote: »

is thier a single one of them who didnt go to a fee paying school ?

There'd be a lot more of them if more non-fee paying schools took up the game seriously. I only know of a handful that do - and some schools that used to be all about rugby (e.g. Christians in Cork) have 'democratised' sports by branching into GAA and soccer (which is a good thing in many ways, but bad for rugby).

I wish we'd see a similar move from the schools that traditionally focus on GAA (although it may be happening without my noticing).

GerM

Monty Burnz wrote: »

There'd be a lot more of them if more non-fee paying schools took up the game seriously. I only know of a handful that do - and some schools that used to be all about rugby (e.g. Christians in Cork) have 'democratised' sports by branching into GAA and soccer (which is a good thing in many ways, but bad for rugby).

I wish we'd see a similar move from the schools that traditionally focus on GAA (although it may be happening without my noticing).

They're improving. The development cup in Leinster is full of schools now that aren't fee paying and not traditional schools. A lot of the players don't receive the coaching that they do in the fee paying schools but some of them find they love the sport and join their local club. My old school for example has kids now wanting to go down to Suttonians. They've won the development cup twice since starting a rugby team a few years ago. The schools competing are generally GAA schools that have started teams.

mfceiling

irishh_bob wrote: »

is thier a single one of them who didnt go to a fee paying school ?

Most of the northern schools aren't fee paying. You pass your 11 plus and then you go to the grammar schools which are predominantly rugby schools.
Played against and with a few lads who made Ulster squads..........I didn't!!

PJ Maybe

deccurley wrote: »

For the craic


Jamie Heaslip - Born in Isreal but raised in.....Kildare???

Geordan Murphy - Dublin

Geordan is from Kildare as well.

Edit : Interesting list though.

durkadurka

If heaslip is isreali then ROG is a yank

ormond lad

deccurley wrote: »

For the craic


Rory Best - Armagh
Isaac Boss - New Zealand
Tommy Bowe - Monaghan
Tony Buckley - Cork
Tom Court - Australia
Sean Cronin - Limerick
Leo Cullen - Wicklow
Gordon D'Arcy - Wexford
Keith Earls - Limerick
Stephen Ferris - Antrim
Cian Healy - Dublin
Jamie Heaslip - Born in Isreal but raised in.....Kildare???
Shane Jennings - Dublin
Rob Kearney - Louth
Denis Leamy - Tipperary
Fergus McFadden - Kilkenny
Geordan Murphy - Dublin
Conor Murray - Limerick
Sean O'Brien - Carlow
Donncha O'Callaghan - Cork
Paul O'Connell - Limerick
Brian O'Driscoll - Dublin
Ronan O'Gara - Cork
Eoin Reddan - Limerick
Mike Ross - Cork
Donnacha Ryan - Limerick
Jonathan Sexton - Dublin
Andrew Trimble - Derry
Paddy Wallace - Down

Limerick - 6
Dublin - 5
Cork - 4
Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Derry, Down, Kilkenny, Louth, Monaghan, Tipperary, Wexford, Wicklow - 1

Donnacha Ryan Tipperary not limerick

CatFromHue

irishh_bob wrote: »

is thier a single one of them who didnt go to a fee paying school ?

This could be to do with the amount of time that fee paying schools invest in their players.

I want to a non fee paying school in the old section A in Leinster. Back then there were two sections A, which consisted of the weaker schools, and B which would have been strong section with Blackrock, Clongowes etc. The finalists if the A cup qualified for the B section. At both senior and junior cycle we made teh final and bizarrely were drawn against the same team, St. Pauls, both times. At junior level we were competitive against Pauls but at senior level they put 30 points on us. We couldn't deal with them physically. The players who we would have been equal to at junior level were now bigger and stronger by doing weights and also a lot fitter than us. Their individual skill sets were also much more improved and better than ours.

This is to do with training. We had a session on a Monday, game on Wednesday and then around cup time another session on a Friday. Most of the season it was just Monday and Wednesdays though. Over Christmass we had 1 training session. My brother went to a biggish rugby school who played in the B section and the amount of training he put in was light years ahead of what we did. It was nearly amateurs versus professionals.

Then there is the coaching. When I hear of teams bringing in ex players like Eric Miller as their rugby coach I'm amazed. We had nothing like that.