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Ballymena R.F.C.
Ballymena Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in the town of Ballymena, Northern Ireland, playing in Division 2A of the All-Ireland League. It is affiliated to the Ulster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union. The club fields five adult teams and an under-20s team. In youth rugby, there are under-18s, under-16s and under-14s teams. Formation Ballymena RFC was first affiliated to the Northern Branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union in 1887, but the Club as we know it today, began after the First World War, in 1922, and entered the Junior League in the 1923–24 season, playing their games in the local Demesne. Within the next 10 years, they twice won both the Provincial Towns· Cup and the Junior Challenge Cup, and even competed, albeit with little success, in the Senior Challenge Cup. The Post War Era at the end of the Second World War, the Club reformed, and were now playing at the Showgrounds, using the changing facilities provided by Ballymena Academy, whose Hea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Irish Rugby Football Union
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) ( ga, Cumann Rugbaí na hÉireann) is the body managing rugby union in the island of Ireland (both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland). The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium, where adult men's Irish rugby union international matches are played. In addition, the Union also owns the Ravenhill Stadium in Belfast, Thomond Park in Limerick and a number of grounds in provincial areas that have been rented to clubs. History Initially, there were two unions: the Irish Football Union, which had jurisdiction over clubs in Leinster, Munster and parts of Ulster and was founded in December 1874, and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, which controlled the Belfast area and was founded in January 1875. The IRFU was formed in 1879 as an amalgamation of these two organisations and branches of the new IRFU were formed in Leinster, Munster and Ulster. The Connacht Branch was formed in 1900. The IR ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Humphreys (rugby Player)
David Humphreys MBE (born 10 September 1971) is a former Irish rugby union player. He played 72 times for Ireland, scoring 560 points, including 6 tries, and at the time of his international retirement was Ireland's most capped out-half. He played his club rugby for London Irish and Ulster, winning the 1998-99 Heineken Cup, the 2004 Celtic Cup and the 2005–06 Celtic League with the latter. Since retiring as a player he has served as director of rugby for Ulster and Gloucester Playing career Early career Humphreys started playing rugby while at Ballymena Academy,Jonathan Bradley, ''The Last Amateurs: The Incredible Story of Ulster Rugby's 1999 European Champions'', The Blackstaff Press, 2018 and represented Ireland Schools, captaining them to the Triple Crown in 1990. In the amateur era, he played for Queen's University RFC, with whom he won the Dudley Cup in 1994, Ballymena R.F.C., and Oxford University RFC, for whom he scored all 19 points in a losing effort in the 1995 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British And Irish Lions
The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national team, although they can pick uncapped players who are eligible for any of the four unions. The team currently tours every four years, with these rotating between Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in order. The most recent test series, the 2021 series against South Africa, was won 2–1 by South Africa. From 1888 onwards, combined British rugby sides toured the Southern Hemisphere. The first tour was a commercial venture, undertaken without official backing. The six subsequent visits enjoyed a growing degree of support from the authorities, before the 1910 South Africa tour, which was the first tour representative of the four Home Unions. In 1949 the four Home Unions formally created a Tours Committee and for the first time, every ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Henry (rugby Union)
Chris Henry (born 17 October 1984) is a former Irish rugby union rugby player. He played for Ulster and Ballymena Rugby Club. He was educated at the Wallace High School in Lisburn before going to Queen's University Belfast. In November 2009, he was named in Ireland's 39-man squad for the 2009 end of year rugby tests and again in the squad for the 2010 mid-year rugby test series when he received his first cap vs Australia. In November 2014, Henry suffered a temporary blockage of a small blood vessel in his brain before Ireland were due to play South Africa in the end-of-year international series. Honours Ireland A *Churchill Cup: **Winner (1): 2009 Ireland *Six Nations Championship: 2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ... References External linksUlster ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Luke Marshall
Luke Marshall (born 3 March 1991) is an Irish rugby union player, who plays centre for Ulster, and has 11 caps for Ireland, the last coming in 2017. While in the Ulster academy, he played in an exhibition match between an Ulster-Leinster team against a Munster-Connacht team that opened the Aviva Stadium in August 2010. In the 2010–11 season, he made seven appearances, including three starts, and scored a try. He played for Ireland at under-20 level in the 2011 Six Nations Under 20s Championship and the 2011 IRB Junior World Championship. The following season he made seven more appearances, including two starts and scored one try. In 2012–13 he made 18 appeances, including 10 starts, and made his debut in the Heineken Cup. He played in a non-cap Ireland XV that defeated Fiji 53-0 in November 2012. He won his first senior international cap on 24 February 2013, starting in the defeat against Scotland in the 2013 Six Nations Championship. He was named 2012–13 Pro12 Young Playe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bryan Young (rugby Player)
Bryan Young (born 11 June 1981) is a retired Irish rugby union footballer. He played for Ulster and Cavalieri. He is currently fitness and nutrition coach with Ballymena Young is from Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The middle of three children his elder brother Robert is the current captain of Ballymena. Bryan, nicknamed "Bear" is regarded as technically one of the best scrummaging props. While Young made his Ulster debut in April 2002 against Connacht, it was not until the 2005–06 Celtic League that he really made his breakthrough, playing in all but one match that season. Young's performances for Ulster brought him to the attention of the national selectors and he was part of the Ireland squad that toured New Zealand and Australia in June 2006 where he won his first two international caps coming on as a replacement in two of the tests. He was in Ireland's squad at the 2007 Rugby World Cup The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennia ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Andrew Trimble
Andrew Trimble (born 20 October 1984) is a former Irish rugby union player who played for Ulster and represented Ireland at international level. Club career He attended Coleraine Academical Institution, where he competed in the Ulster Schools Cup. He played at outside centre or on the wing for Ulster Rugby. In April 2006 he signed a new three-year deal with Ulster. Trimble also played club rugby for Ballymena RFC in the AIB League and has represented Ireland Schools and the Ireland U21 team. Due to a pre-season groin injury, however, he required surgery and missed part of the 2007–08 season. He later underwent a hernia operation. On 30 April 2009, Trimble underwent surgery on his right knee to remove a piece of chipped bone. In May 2018, Trimble announced that he would be retiring from rugby at the end of the 2017–18 season. He does however, on occasion, still partake in amateur level competition with his local Coleraine rugby club. International career Trimble, repla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jamie Smith (rugby Player)
Jamie Smith (born 25 June 1988) is a retired rugby union player from Ballymena, Northern Ireland, who progressed through the Ulster Academy. His usual position was Full back. Rugby career Smith was voted Ulster Young Player of the Year in 2009. In September 2011 he joined Newport Gwent Dragons Dragons RFC ( cy, Dreigiau) are one of the four professional rugby union regional teams in Wales. They are owned by the Welsh Rugby Union and play their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport and at other grounds around the region. They play in .... He was released by Newport Gwent Dragons at the end of the 2012–13 season due to a career ending injury. Coaching career Jamie moved to Barbados in August 2017 to coach the Barbados national team 'The Barjans'. Personal life Smith resides in Barbados with his wife Narissa. References External links Jamie SmithNewport Gwent Dragons (Archived) Sportspeople from Ballymena Irish rugby union players Dragons RFC players Living p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
James Topping
James “Jimmy” Topping (born 18 December 1974) is an Irish rugby former player and current coach. As a player, he won eight caps for the Ireland national rugby union team between 1996 and 2003, playing on the wing. Topping was born in Belfast and played his club rugby for Ballymena and Ulster. Topping also played sevens for the Ireland national rugby sevens team. He played at the 2001 Rugby World Cup Sevens and also played several legs on the World Rugby Sevens Series. Since retiring from playing, Topping has been involved in coaching, including Ulster youth rugby, and the Ireland national rugby sevens team The Ireland national rugby sevens team competes in several international rugby sevens competitions. The team is governed by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU). Ireland competes as a "core team" on the World Rugby Sevens Series, a competiti .... References Irish rugby union players Ireland international rugby union players Rugby union wings Ulster Rugby ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Smith (Irish Rugby Player)
Stephen James Smith (born 18 July 1959 in Belfast) is a former Ireland international rugby union player. He played as a hooker. He had 25 caps for Ireland, from 1988 to 1993, scoring 2 tries, 8 points in aggregate. He was selected for the 1991 Rugby World Cup, playing three games and was a replacement called out for the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand/Australia in 1987. Smith played for 5 seasons at the Five Nations, in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1993. In 1988 represented the Barbarians against the touring Wallabies at Cardiff making his full debut for Ireland in the same year. In 1989 he toured Australia with the British and Irish Lions The British & Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The Lions are a test side and most often select players who have already played for their national ... and in the same year represented an International Touring XV as part of the South African ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gary Longwell
Gary Longwell (born 30 July 1971 in Belfast) is an Irish international rugby player. His usual position is as a lock, or second row. He spent his entire career playing for Irish provincial side Ulster, making his debut aged 19 in 1991. He was part of the Heineken Cup-winning Ulster team of 1999 in the 21–6 victory over Colomiers at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. In 2015, he was inducted into the Newtownabbey Hall of Fame Provincial career He made 152 caps for his provincial side Ulster, making his debut aged just 19 against English side Cornwall in 1991. He also played an integral role in the Heineken Cup final victory winning Ulster team of 1999 in the 21–6 victory over Colomiers at Lansdowne Road in Dublin. International career Longwell made his debut for the Irish national team on 11 November 2000 in a Test against Japan in Dublin and went on to win 26 caps. He was a part of Ireland's squad at the 2003 Rugby World Cup The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Trevor Ringland
Trevor Maxwell Ringland, (born 13 November 1959) is a Northern Irish solicitor, former rugby union player and politician. From June 2013 to July 2014, he served as Co-Chairman of the NI Conservatives. After attending Larne Grammar School, he read law at Queen's University Belfast. Rugby career Ringland made 31 competitive appearances for , scoring nine tries. The majority of his appearances came in the Five Nations, with the remainder coming in the 1987 Rugby World Cup. He also represented Ulster and Ballymena. In 1983 he toured New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions. Since retirement, he has coached at Ballymena and been a committee member of the Irish Rugby Football Union. In his later years he joined Belfast Club CIYMS where he played for the golden oldies 4th xv, known as the Dream Team, consisting of former senior players. The team was managed by Tommy Andrews the former hooker and current club chairman. Another notable player on the team was Rab Irwin who went on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
