The Echo, Friday, September 13, 2019 Sport 33 ‘Too many players Luck plays role in drop out at age of 19’ RUGBY

■ Seán McCarthy Comyn presidency DURING his nine years at committee level, IRFU presi- dent Nicky Comyn has seen Rugby plenty of changes but as the 131st president, he would like to see progress on two key areas. Sean The first of those is partici- pation. Like every other sport, McCarthy rugby sees a huge drop off be- tween the time players leave secondary school and the age LUCK has played a role in Nicky of 21. Comyn’s journey to becoming the “One of the things we’ve al- 131st president of the IRFU. ways been looking at in my He first made a Union (IRFU) com- time with the Union has been mittee as a member of Sunday’s Well participation. RFC, a club he might not have joined “Participation is poor after had he not known the Egars, Tony and the age of 18 or 19,” says the Billy who were from Mallow. Sunday’s Well man. Luck or a twist of fate also played a “There’s a drop off, es- part in his selection for that committee pecially after school. What and sadly that twist of fate came after you see is they are burned out the loss of a club-mate and friend Billy when they come out. Keating. “It’s one of two things I “I started in Mallow, that’s where I would like progress on during am from originally,” says Comyn. my presidency,” says the “The rest of my family are still pretty IRFU president. much based in or near Mallow. I went “We actually have one com- to the national school and played GAA, mittee looking at that to see is then I went to the Patrician Academy there a possibility of getting for a year before they carted me off to more participation. Clongowes. “It’s difficult. “My father had been at Clongowes “The IRFU have put a lot of and his father before him so that’s money into the domestic game where I was sent to put a few manners and it has helped. If you play on me,” he says with a laugh. with a club you want decent “It toughens you up, what it did for facilities. me was that I arrived up there and “Also if you are looking to knew nobody and that was hard but it draw more people in you are was also character building because Nicky Comyn, IRFU, presents the Ulster Bank Bateman All-Ireland Cup to Cork Constitution captain Gerry Hurley. looking at having different you either sink or swim in those situ- Picture: INPHO/Cathal Noonan types of competition. ations and that stood to me. “The IRFU are trying very “I went from there to UCD and hard with the sevens certainly played with the Freshers. Fergus Slat- I got on the on the professional side they tery (ex-Ireland flanker) actually “ are fairly successful to a cer- played with the Freshers the second tain degree and beginning to year I was there, he used to play Union first day by make a name for themselves centre. but it’s hard to bring it into “We had a lot of guys in that team one of those strange universities and clubs who are who got close to the Irish level back not accustomed to the game.” then so I kinda faded away a little bit as And it’s not just in men’s I knew I wouldn’t get to that level so I twists of fate that can rugby that the new president, joined Palmerston — who are now who will be in situ until next DLSP — and were based in Clonskeagh happen sometimes July, wants to see progress. He back then.” is a huge fan of women’s rugby That move was a breath of fresh air and would love to see more for the young student. Away from col- structures put in place for lege life he saw a far more enjoyable coaching and developing the side to rugby and saw the best of what women’s game. club rugby could be both on and off the “The second thing I like to pitch — something that stuck with see progress on during my him. presidency is women’s rugby. “When I was there, I was known as “The problem at the mo- the Little Professor because I was the ment is that there is a national only one on the team who was in uni- team who are lucky to have versity. They were all in different 150 players to pick from. trades and professions which gave a “There is a big output from real eclectic mix,” says Comyn. “I underage level of girls playing spent four years with them, never won IRFU president Nicholas Comyn with President of Ireland Michael D Higgins. but like everything else it anything with them but enjoyed the Picture: INPHO/Billy Stickland tends to drop off at the wrong great craic and the club spirit. times and I just feel that if “I was working in my first job at the was in Dublin. Because I was playing At the age of 31 he decided, with two our centenary year in 2006. The late there can be a little more time, I lectured in constitutional his- in Dublin I wasn’t considered what young children at home, and his law Billy Keating said he would propose structure to it… tory, I was going for my Masters at the they called seniorised. I was playing career beginning to get very busy, that me for the Munster president’s posi- “When we looked at the time so I would have considered myself senior in a different province so I still it was time to call a halt to his playing tion and I would in turn support him if IRFU Rugby Committee at just two lectures ahead of the students. was able to play with Mallow. The career. He did referee for five or six there was a position came up on the what attracted people to cer- “I then went into Mattheson Ormsby Munster rule didn’t apply in Leinster. more years before becoming involved Union (IRFU). tain clubs, it was the coaching to be an apprentice and was working “I joined Con and what I liked about in Sunday’s Well off the pitch. “Billy had worked out that Sunday’s staff and the facilities. as an assistant solicitor to Shane Ross’ it was that if Ireland had a big inter- Having worked his way through Well would be given a Union place, I “They have a good depart- father, John Ross. I met him (Shane) at national on a Saturday and Con were various committees at his own club, didn’t know that, but sadly he passed ment in Dublin now in the a game and introduced myself and he playing on a Sunday players like there looked to be bigger and brighter away unexpectedly and never got to IRFU who are coaching the said: ‘I know already, daddy told me’.” Tommy Kiernan would still be there things ahead at Munster Branch level take that Union job so in a way it was a coaches.” The home bug eventually bit and the for the club on Sunday. for Comyn until fate took its own turn. twist of fate or luck that I got on the One of the highlights for aspiring solicitor was looking towards “I bounced in and out of the senior “I got on the Union first day by one Union committee to start with. Comyn this year will be a trip returning to Leeside both for his ca- team so if I was in, Arthur was out and of those strange twists of fate that can “It is a huge honour for me person- to the World Cup in Japan reer and also for his rugby. vice versa, we very rarely played to- happen sometimes. ally to be the first president of the courtesy of World Rugby. His brother Arthur was playing for gether so I made the decision to leave “Each club has turns to get people IRFU in the Well’s 113-year history. It “I’ve never been to Japan Cork Con at the time so it seemed like a Con and I joined Sunday’s Well be- on committees both at national and also coincided with having our first and am looking forward to it good idea to join him there. cause the Egars, Billy and Tony came provincial levels. It was Sunday’s Well lady president in the Well which was and of course seeing Ireland “I played with Mallow as well while I from Mallow so I’d have known them.” turn to have the Munster president for nice as well.” win it!”