Lansdowne
PROUD SPONSORS OF LANSDOWNE RFC
FOR THE LAST 27 YEARS.
skills base, keeping players involved in
the sport, and developing them through
the youths section with the aim of them
progressing into the senior teams of the
club.
A great example of this is the Captain
of the 2016/17 Senior 1st XV, Ian
Prendiville, who started his rugby career
in Lansdowne FC as an U6 mini.
RC: How do you ensure that young
players enjoy a smooth transition into
the senior game?
CG: At Lansdowne FC we have
worked very hard over the last few years
to ensure there is a smooth transition
from youth player to senior player. The
youth side (Ages 13 to 17) of our club
were traditionally the weakest part of
our club.
We have a very strong, successful and
vibrant mini set up but when they reached
secondary school age the players mostly
went to rugby schools in the area and
with the rules the way they are the lads
are not allowed play for club and school
with schools now bringing in a policy
of school only which is very difficult for
a club like ours where the majority of
second level schools are all rugby playing
schools so we lose the players for 5 to 6
years with some transition year students
coming back to play when they are not
part of the senior set up in their school.
By investing in coaching and
promoting rugby in non-traditional
areas it is great now to see the fruits of
our work over the last 5 years reap its
rewards. The youth section I am pleased
to say is now just as strong and vibrant as
any other section in our club.
We place great pride in our under 20s
set up which is the envy of most clubs
in the country. We have won two All
Irelands in the last 5 years and finished
top of the JP Fanagan league this year
with an undefeated season to add to last
year’s McCorry Cup.
Our coaching & facilities are of the
highest quality throughout the club
which makes Lansdowne an easy choice
for the players to return to after rugby
school and re-join there friends from their
time at minis who have come through
the youths. All of this doesn’t happen by
accident but by continuous hard work
from members, parents, coaches and our
club executive.
It is from our 20s that we build our
very successful senior team which each
week has between 70% and 80% of the
squad coming directly through that route
with the balance being made of people
relocating to the area for work or college.
There is a well-worn pathway from
mini to senior player in Lansdowne and
from there to professional rugby for
many as well but be it pro or amateur
“Our coaching & facilities are of the highest quality throughout the
club which makes Lansdowne an easy choice for the players to return
to after rugby school and re-join there friends from their time at minis
who have come through the youths.”
www.rugbyclubmag.com
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