RUGBY ALL-IRELAND LEAGUE FOCUS ON DIVISION One A: Gavin Cummiskeyon why Phil Werahiko's side are building for the future both on and off the pitch as they return to the top flight
WHOEVER DREW up the Division One A fixtures had an almost cruel sense of humour but it is equally clever to immediately revive last April’s gripping play-off semi-final at Templeville Road when St Mary’s beat Old Belvedere 24-23, with the help of a Gavin Dunne conversion that the players under the post were adamant drifted wide.
It means the Division One B champions won’t need much motivation to get up for this one.
Under the guidance of the well- travelled Kiwi, Phil Werahiko, club chairman Damien Torsney and president John Mahony, Belvo’ seem well prepared for the coming challenges despite the departure of some quality forwards.
Jonathan Slattery has headed off to Canada for a year, secondrow Paul Spivey to lower division rugby in England with Moseley, while Leinster Academy hooker Tom Sexton was snapped up by Lansdowne.
This is offset by the arrivals, including the electric attacking qualities of Danny Riordan from Connacht, via Munster, while scrumhalf/winger Simon Keogh is a welcome addition having parted ways with Leinster.
Ben Woods joins from Clontarf as does former UCD captain David Gilchrist (both former Belvedere College old boys).
The presence of centres Eoin O’Malley and Fergus McFadden will be less evident due to the World Cup player management programme and their progress with Leinster.
Neither featured in last season’s AIL semi-finals anyway.
Like most progressive clubs, Belvedere do not rely on contracted players anymore, although they should be able to build their scrum around behemoth 21-year-old tighthead prop Stewart Maguire for at least one more campaign.
“We’ll never have a scenario where, say, St Mary’s play Young Munster in front of thousands at Lansdowne Road and there are 15 internationals on the pitch but the standard is getting closer to that again as a lot of ex-professionals are getting back into the game at club level,” explains Andy Dunne, who should know having left the pro game last year to become Belvedere’s assistant player-coach.
“Younger guys coming through see it as a viable way to make it into professional rugby,” Dunne continues.
“Five years ago that option wasn’t there – you had missed the boat if you weren’t in an Academy – but it is getting back to the competitiveness of the early AIL years.”
Dunne’s meandering professional career started out at Leinster in 1999 before his natural ability from outhalf saw him go to Harlequins and Bath in England before returning to Leinster and then a few seasons with Connacht.
He took up the player coaching position last year and is also studying physiotherapy at the RCSI.
“We have 40 players out with the first team and 40 down training with the under-21s, a woman’s team and four other men’s team. The new gym is also under construction, so there is a lot happening around the club.
“We are building something that will be sustainable in the long run. Tapping into what the school has to offer but at the same time we have a wide mix of guys from all over Dublin.”
Gearóid McDonald from Dundalk, who was the Leinster under-20s outhalf this year, is signalled out by Dunne.
“Gearóid is only 19 and just finished school but he is a serious prospect. Very much in the Jonny Sexton mould. He is 6ft2in, great kicker, great passer, strong guy. He has come from the youth rugby system.”
Identifying such talent is what makes Werahiko such a valued coach.
“He has a vast knowledge of players coming through at all levels,” adds Dunne.
The revenge mission to St Mary’s today is followed by the visit of champions Cork Constitution to Anglesea Road before renewing an old rivalry with Blackrock in round three.
“It is a case of going into the unknown for us but based on our personnel and how we are playing we are there to mount a challenge. We are certainly not coming up from B to be whipping boys.”
Division One A Format
The top three teams will be joined in the semi-finals by the winners of Division One B. Cork Constitution are favourites to retain their title but St Mary’s have the capabilities and set-up to go one better.
Dolphin have a decent mixture of Munster fringe players and young talent, while Shannon are, well, they are Shannon. Old Belvedere are dark horses with Blackrock and Garryowen in a similar bracket.
Hard to know how Young Munster will cope but they should prove as hard to beat as ever at the fortress of Tom Clifford Park.
Weekend Previews
Blackrock v Cork Constitution
Stradbrook
Andy Wood and Simon Broughton begin their tenure as Blackrock coaches against the champions so that should offset the loss of centre Kyle Tonetti, scrumhalf David Moore and winger Shane Monaghan to the professional game. Watch out for Andrew Conway. He won’t be in the club game for long.
Verdict: Home win
Dolphin v Shannon
Musgrave Park
Hard to call as Dolphin seek to improve on last season’s steady progress, while Shannon will be keen to get off to a solid start before next week’s Limerick derby against Garryowen. Dolphin’s balanced side to guide them home.
Verdict: Home win.
St Mary’s v Old Belvedere
Templeville Road
Has to be Belvedere as they seek to reverse last April’s one-point loss in the play-offs.
Andy Dunne, Simon Keogh, Danny Riordan and Eoin O’Malley’s presence in the backline should spark something.
Verdict: Away win.
