NUI Galway Rugby Wins Both Intervarsity Cups and Celebrates Academy Success
NUI Galway holds both the Irish Universities’ Rugby Union Maughan Scally Cup and the Kay Bowen Cup
NUI Galway Rugby, has for the first time, won both women’s and men’s intervarsity rugby competitions this year, while the NUIG Rugby Academy have won the first trophy for the University at underage level.
The men’s team are current holders of the Irish Universities' Rugby Union (IURU) Maughan Scally Cup, and the women’s squad won their Intervarsity honours, the IURU Kay Bowen Cup, in UCD in November. The NUIG women’s team did not concede a single try during, and remained unbeaten throughout the entire competition, while the men’s team held UCC scoreless in the final of the Irish Junior Intervarsities, which they also hosted in Dangan.
Established in 2011, the NUIG Rugby Youth Academy also continues to go from strength to strength. The Youth Academy U13s squad and coaches celebrated success last season, as the first side to win an underage rugby trophy for the University. With many graduates from last season’s successful U13s, the NUIG U14 squad remains unbeaten this season. The U15s finished 3rd in their league and look forward with confidence to the cup which starts at the end of January
All this reflects increased participation in rugby in NUI Galway. In recent seasons, NUIG Rugby has grown participation in rugby on campus significantly, and now fields four adult rugby teams. This includes a second men’s squad and an U20s team that participates in the South West Conference of the highly competitive Munster U20 league, as part of an amalgamated team with Corinthians RFC. Significantly NUIG U20s also played in the Conroy Cup U20 intervarsity competition this year, for the first time since 2005, and advanced to the play-off stages.
NUIG men’s team’s next Connacht Junior League fixture is against Sligo RFC in Dangan on Sunday 19th January, kick-off: 2.30pm. There is a pre-match function in the Westwood Hotel for alumni and friends.
For pre-match function tickets and further information, please contact Club Chairman, Dr Michael O’Mahony, 086-8339715 or Club Treasurer, Gearóid Ó Broin, 091-493115. The men’s side will play their next intervarsity fixture when they host touring American university side, Yale University RFC on Saturday 15th March in Dangan.
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