Rugby has transformed in the professional era with the National and provincial teams taking precedence and taking on the world.
This weekend though they shared the spotlight with two finals in the club environment that have respectively lasted the test of time and paid testament to the growth of the Women’s side of the game.
Bank of Ireland sponsors the provincial Town Cup as part of its overall partnership with Leinster Rugby and this year’s pinnacle of Junior Club Rugby season took place over the weekend at Navan RFC.
The crowd was only a fraction of those that will grace the closing stages of the Guinness PRO14 and Heineken Champions Cup in the coming weeks but the survival of the competition is important in maintaining grass roots engagement with the sport.
Enniscorthy beat Wicklow in Saturday’s Final. This was their fourth win in 8 years but it had taken 80 years previously for them to win the same number.
The competition is one of the oldest established in Rugby having first been played for in 1888. It brings together Junior Club teams from across Leinster but outside of Dublin and is spoken of with reverence by those within the sport.
Women’s Rugby has less heritage only being recognised in the past 25 years but its pinnacle of the All Ireland League also grabbed attention yesterday.
Railway Union’s victory over UL Bohemians was their first in the competition and featured prominently on Irish Rugby’s digital channels.
There were a host of Ireland international lining out for both sides including Lyndsay Peat pictured above.
