DB CONvOSP URC Digital Match Programme

PRESIDENT’s
WELCOME
THank You To Our Partners for
their continued support
As the new President of Connacht Rugby
I am delighted to welcome you to The
Sportsground for this afternoon’s BKT
United Rugby Championship season opener
between Connacht and Ospreys.
Let me firstly introduce myself. My name
is Michael O’Hehir and I have the honour
and privilege of a lifetime to be President
of Connacht Rugby for the 2023/24 season.
I am a proud Sligo RFC man who has been
involved with the club all my life, as a
player, coach and administrator. I am also a
Connacht man through and through, having
served on a number of committees before
my election as Junior Vice-President 3
years ago.
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To hold this position as Branch President
is an honour and responsibility that I don’t
take lightly, and I have already hugely
enjoyed the opportunity. I’ve met countless
numbers of volunteers, Connacht staff
members and players over the summer, and
there’s a passion for rugby in this province
that burns brighter than ever. I look forward
to playing my part in helping us to reach
new heights.
Today’s occasion is a long time coming for
both the squad and the fans. The players
have been busy in pre-season training for 16
weeks, all to make sure they’re ready to hit
the ground running today. It’s amazing to
think it’s been over 6 months since the last
men’s competitive fixture here at our home,
so I’m sure the supporters will enjoy the
occasion just as much as the players.
I had the opportunity to meet the players
and coaches during the week and there’s a
huge level of excitement about what they
can achieve this season. To the head coach
Pete Wilkins, captain Jack Carty, and the
rest of the crew, I wish you the very best of
luck for the year ahead.
Of course the season is already well
underway in our clubs and schools across the
province. They are the life blood of our sport
in Connacht, and I want to wish the best of
luck to all the men and women’s teams taking
to the field in the months ahead. If I could
leave you with one message today it’s that it’s
never too late to get involved with your local
team. You can find the club nearest to you
on connachtrugby.ie, so why not have a look
and consider helping out? Our volunteers are
the soul of our sport and we simply can’t do it
without them.
Finally I’d like to welcome our visitors from the
Ospreys to the West of Ireland for the game.
I know you’re no stranger to these parts so I
hope you enjoy your visit and we look forward
to returning the favour in Swansea next
season.
Enjoy the game and the occasion!
Michael O’Hehir
Connacht Rugby President, 2023/24
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Coach PREVIEW
Coming into his seventh season
with the province, Pete Wilkins is
excited about the challenge and
the journey ahead as the man in
charge.
Pete first joined Connacht in 2017,
arriving as Defence Coach in a
role which he would fulfil for four
seasons. In the summer of 2021 he
was promoted to the role of Senior
Coach with primary responsibility
for attack.
He would then become Head Coach,
assuming greater responsibility for
more of the on-pitch elements of
the rugby programme.
He was also invited to join the Irish
coaching team for the tour of New
Zealand in the summer of 2022,
culminating in the historic series win
First up for Pete and the team is
Ospreys at The Sportsground. Last
season Connacht beat the Welsh
side by three points in Swansea, 22-
19.
“We’ve never come up against an
Ospreys team that isn’t unbelievably
physcial and well organised, that’s
part of the DNA in terms of the
success that the club has had” said
Wilkins
“We expect this to be a very physical
game”
“For all our ambition of what we
want to do with the ball and the way
we might want to play the game,
first and foremost we have to front
up physically”
“Being at home, we will want to
assert our style of play and show
what way we want to play this
season, to do that though we will
need to earn the right”
As the BKT URC is set to begin, the
Rugby World Cup in France is at the
semi-final stage of the tournament.
Ireland’s dream was ended by the
All Blacks last Saturday in Paris and
Pete spoke about the impact that
defeat might have on his squad.
“The mood in the camp has a bit
of everything really, we’re really
excited that it’s week one of the
URC but obvisouly disappointed
about the Irish result”
“Our thoughts are with Ireland and
especially our three men, knowing
the disappointment that they will
be dealing with over the next few
days and possibly longer”
Connacht trio, Bundee Aki, Finlay
Bealham and Mack Hansen all
played key roles with the Irish team
over at the World Cup. Wilkins said
it will be a few weeks until they are
ser to return to The Sportsground
and join the squad.
“They will need a minimum of three
to four weeks to recover properly.
That physically as well as mentally”
“We’ve been in contact with them
and we will speak again at the end
of this week where we will work out
a plan”
Last season Connacht began their
season with three away games,
whereas this season they begin with
three games at The Sportsground.
“The fixtures don’t get any easier
in the URC, I don’t think there’s
an easy game in this league which
might sound like a massive cliche”
said Wilkins
“We do have to recognise three home
games as a massive opportunity
and make the most of that”
“That said, no one is just going to
give you points because you are at
home”
“We have three challenging games
at home against Ospreys, Glasgow
and Ulster to start our season”
“Its all good saying you have three
games at home compared to what
we had last season but it’s only
great if you win them”

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Player PREVIEW
opportunity I am very greatful for
what the club has given me”
“I remember coming here knowing I
had to prove myself and show exaclty
what I’m made of”
“I was lucky enough to make my
debut in my first week of coming
here, it was off the bench against
Zebre in the Champions Cup so that
really helped settled me in”
Born in Dublin but Tom was brought
up in a Connacht household. His
mother comes from Islandeady in
Co.Mayo and his father is from a small
village in Leitrim called Dromod.
“Putting on the Connacht jersey
means a lot to me and to my family”
“I’ve always been proud of my of roots”
Having reached the semi-final of
the URC last season, Tom hopes the
squad can reach even greater heights
this season buthis focus isn’t going
beyond Ospreys.
“For me I don’t like to look too far
ahead, I will leave that thinking for the
coaches”
“My focus is all on Saturday and making
sure I deliver a goo dperformance to
help the side win”
Saturday marks Tom Farrell’s
100th cap for Connacht. Having
joined in the 2016/17 season, the
centre has continued to grow each
season and looks forward to the
new season ahead.
“The whole squad is delighted to be
back in action and get started this
weekend at home” said Farrell
“We had a long preseason but it was
hugely benficial especially with the
new coaching staff coming in along
with new players”
Connacht begin their BKT URC
campaign at home to Ospreys
where Farrell expects another difficult
encounter against the Welsh side.
“They are never easy games against
Ospreys home or away”
“They have a lot of quality players, even
without their international players”
It will be a special day on Saturday for
Tom as he makes his 100th cap for the
club.
“To play 100 times for any club is a
proud achievement”
“I always felt I was good enough
for this level. Connacht gave me my

Pro team PROFILES
bundee
aki
Centre
jack
aungier
Prop
finlay
bealham
Prop
Caolin
blade
Scrum Half
shayne
bolton
Back Three
Paul
boyle
Back Row
denis
buckley
Prop
Eoin
de buitlear
Hooker
matthew
burke
Prop
Jarrad
Butler
Back Row
Jack
carty
Out Half
santiago
cordero
Back Three
tom
daly
Centre
peter
dooley
Prop
OISIN
DOWLING
Second Row
jordan
duggan
Prop
tom
farrell
Centre
CATHAL
FORDE
Centre

Pro team PROFILES
jj
hanrahan
Out Half
mack
hansen
Back Three
David
hawkshaw
Out Half /
Centre
dave
heffernan
Hooker
SHAMUS
HURLEY-
LANGTON
Back Row
sam
illo
Prop
sean
jansen
Back Row
shane
jennings
Centre/
Back Three
Joe
joyce
Second Row
Diarmuid
Kilgallen
Back Three
oisin
mccormack
Back Row
Michael
Mcdonald
Scrum Half
Tadhg
mcelroy
Hooker
Liam
Mcnamara
Back Three
oran
mcnulty
Back Three
DarragH
Murray
Second Row
Niall
Murray
Second Row
SEAN
O’BRIEN
Back Row

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Back Three
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Prop
ANDREW
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Pro team MANAGEMENT
ACADEMY MANAGEMENT
Tim
Allnutt
Director of
Rugby
Operations
pete
wilkins
Head Coach
Colm
tucker
Scrum &
Contact Coach
Eric
Elwood
Academy
Manager
ANdrew
Browne
Elite Player
Development
Officer
MORGAN
Codyre
Elite Player
Development
Officer
JOHN
MULDOON
Lineout &
Maul Coach
Mark
sexton
Assistant Attack
& Skills Coach
Scott
Fardy
Defence
Coach
Mervyn
Murphy
Provincial Talent
Coach
Sebastian
Delport
Provincial Talent
Coach
Andrew
Murphy
Head of Athletic
Development
Simon
Kavanagh
Senior
Video Analyst
Mikey
KIELY
Head of Athletic
Performance
David
Hanly
Head of
Physiotherapy
Mark
Gallagher
Lead
Physiotherapist
Alan
Doonan
Performance
Analyst
niall
brady
Performance
Nutritionist
Martin
Joyce
Logistics
Manager
Gavin
Rackard
Performance
Nutritionist
Barry
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Senior S&C
Coach
Micheal
Devane
S&C
Coach
lARISSA
MULDOON
Female
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Talent Coach
ANN
CAFFREY
Female Athletic
Development
Coach
michael
o’driscoll
S&C
Coach
Oisin
O’Dalaigh
Asst.
Performance
Analyst
Kevin
O’Brien
Physiotherapist
Aidan
O’Flynn
Personal
Development
Chloe
Mccrann
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Operations
Executive
Deirdre
Lyons
Player
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mitchell
ward
Physiotherapist
Stephen
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deirdre
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Player
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ACADEMY PROFILES
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Prop
john
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Centre
Matthew
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Scrum Half
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cLUB & COMMUNITY
With the start of the AIL, U20s
League, BOI Adult and Age Grade
competitions, and Schools Leagues,
the 2023/24 season is truly
underway.
Among the teams competing, two
in particular have marked their first
caps with historic moments for their
clubs—Loughrea RFC and Castlebar
RFC both fielded their first ever U18
Girls’ Rugby teams.
The first matches for each of these
teams came from years of work by
coaches, parents, players, CRDOs,
staff, and others who put time and
effort in to develop the Girls’ game
in the two clubs. For both Loughrea
and Castlebar, the Give It A Try
summer programme kickstarted
their journeys of building a Girls’
rugby side in their clubs in 2017 and
2018. From tentative beginnings in the
summer of 2017 and into the 2017/18
seasons, the interest and hunger for
the development of Girls’ teams in both
clubs showed. This initiative allowed
girls to try out rugby in a friendly,
fun, non-competitive environment
and subsequently, both Loughrea and
Castlebar have hosted Give It A Try
each summer since.
Loughrea RFC Honorary Secretary
Eoghan Young says about the success,
“the growth in the past few seasons
has been driven by the massive buyin
from the girls’ parents across the
board, bringing the girls to training
each week, attending matches,
hosting visiting teams and everything
in between. This support can be seen
this season with the numbers of
coaches, managers and physios we
have across all groups numbering
nearly 20, the vast majority drawn
from the Mums and Dads”.
Castlebar RFC Women’s Coordinator
Mairead Bradley added,
“Castlebar RFC girls’ rugby
programme has experienced
remarkable growth over the last 5
years. With small numbers initially
attending mini training there are now
up on 50 young enthusiastic players
coming every Saturday morning and
almost equal numbers attending
youth’s mid-week. Witnessing the
girls actively engaging their time in
the club is truly heartening. Rugby not
only imparts valuable rugby skills but
also fosters teamwork, friendships
and personal growth. The girls’
teams have become an essential and
cherished part of Castlebar RFC”.
In what is a story of great success
for both clubs, this season both
Loughrea RFC and Castlebar RFC
each have 100, or over 100, girls
registered across all age groups.
This in turn has contributed to the
overall increase in club memberships
with the addition of family packages.
More importantly though is the
diversity and inclusivity that has
been embraced by all club members.
“Ultimately, what has allowed us to
create and sustain this momentum
for girl’s rugby in Loughrea to date
and hopefully into the future has been
a core focus on just having fun. The
girls get to train and compete on their
terms, which is to turn up, no matter
the weather, and hang out and have
fun with friends old and new,” says
Eoghan Young.
“Yes, they would like to win, but more
importantly, they want to enjoy
themselves with their friends whilst
playing. In a congested space for
the girl’s time and mindshare with
school, other sports and hobbies, it’s
having fun that counts and keeps the
participation growing, year after year.”
Both the Mini and Youth Girls are
seen and managed under the same
structures as the boys from committee
level right down to booking pitch times
for matches. Dedicated girl’s dressing
rooms and facilities are being worked
on and provided in both clubs as well.
“We are always looking for new players,
no experience necessary and players
can join throughout the season,” says
Mairead Bradley.
“You will be taught everything – from
how to fall all the way to tackling
safely. The beauty about rugby is that
there is a position on the field for
everyone regardless of height, shape,
size, everyone is welcome. This side of
the club operate on a no judgement
approach as long as everyone is having
fun and having the craic after training
and matches”.

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