Season 2012/13 We wish Blackrock College RFC every success for the Coming Season 78-80 Upper Drumcondra Road, Dublin 9. Tel: (01) 836 0621 (10 lines) Fax: (01) 837 5195 Message from the President of Blackrock College Rugby Club It is great pleasure for me as President of David van Zuydum is the Chairman of the Minis Blackrock College Rugby Football Club in our and Youths and I wish him and his Committee 130th Year to welcome you all for the 2012/2013 well in the great work they do in fostering a love Season. of Rugby amongst the hundreds of Boys and Girls attending Stradbrook each week. This Season we are also celebrating 50 Years of ownership of our fine Grounds at Stradbrook I also extend a warm “Stradbrook” Welcome to and you will find in our Club Programme, in the Players and Supporters from all our visiting Articles and Photographs, many of the former Clubs and trust you will enjoy your time with us. Players and Members who have contributed to the History of Stradbrook over the past half Finally to our own Players and Members, thank Century. you for all your support down through the Years and I look forward to seeing you down at the I would like to extend my best wishes to Ben Club in the near future. Manion, our Head Coach his Assistant Michael Carroll and our Club Captain Cian Culleton, and Your sincerely, all our Teams, Senior, Under 21, Junior, Womens, Tony Amoroso, Minis and Youths, and wish them every success President Blackrock College RFC. throughout the Rugby Season. We have a very active Executive Committee, under the Chairmanship of Frank O’Riordan, who, along with our Rugby and Finance Committees and our many Sub-Committees, are working hard to ensure the future success of the Club, both on and off the playing fields. Our plans include the erection of a new Gymnasium and the installation of Floodlights on the main Pitch, both projects for which we have received Planning Permission. We are also reaching out to the local Community through our first class Bar and Catering facilities for Anniversary, Birthday and Christening celebrations. I would like to welcome the Community and Staff of Blackrock College, including Fr. Cormac O’Brolchain C.S.S.p, Fr. Tom Nash C.S.S.p and the College Principle Alan MacGinty, all of whom are great supporters of the Club. I wish Brian O’Sullivan President of the Blackrock College Past Pupils Union, every success in his Year of Presidency and look forward to developing even closer relationships between the Club and the Union. 1 © 2010 KPMG, an Irish partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative. All rights reserved. Printed in Ireland. Trust your instincts. Choose KPMG. KPMG wish Blackrock College RFC every success for the 2012/2013 season To find out how KPMG can help you achieve your business objectives, please contact us at 01 410 0000 Message to Blackrock College RFC from Billy Glynn, President, IRFU 2012-‘13 Congratulations to Blackrock College RFC on your celebration this season of 50 years ownership of your grounds at Stradbrook. It marks another notable milestone in the club’s proud and colourful history. I wish President, Tony Amoroso, his Committees and all players and members of the club every success and enjoyment in your special season. I have always enjoyed my visits to Stradbrook and I treasure fond memories of playing in the popular Castle Trophy many years ago. In wishing all your teams every success in the various grades, I know that ‘Rock will be especially keen to make a mark in the Ulster Bank League. In its new two-Division format , following agreement with the clubs and Branches; I believe the League has been revitalised and that it now has the attraction of generating more interest and increased activity at clubs on big match days. This is in keeping with the wishes of the Union and the Provincial Branches, whose policy is that the club scene endures as the bedrock of Irish rugby. Finally, I would like to sincerely thank Ulster Bank, the official Community Partner to the IRFU, which includes sponsorship of the Ulster Bank League, the International Club side, the Ulster Bank Bateman Cup and the Ulster Bank Rugby Force initiative. Best wishes for your special anniversary 2012-’13 season at Stradbrook. Billy Glynn President – IRFU. 3 www.friendsfi rst.ie Friends First - Supporting excellence in Irish Rugby. Proud sponsors of the Blackrock College RFC Castle Trophy to 2015. Friends First is proud to announce our sponsorship of the Blackrock Castle Trophy rugby tournament for the next three years. Together we look forward to working with Blackrock College RFC to make this the pre-eminent Under 21 rugby tournament in Ireland. Pensions Protection Investments Friends First Life Assurance Company is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Message from The Captain It is a great honour for me to represent Blackrock College RFC as Club Captain for the 2012/2013 Season and I look forward to the many challenges ahead. I would like to welcome all new and returning Players and Members to the Club. In this our 130th Year we are celebrating 50 Years ownership of our Grounds at Stradbrook. I wish the best of good luck to Ben Manion, the Club’s Head Coach, and to all the other Team Coaches and Managements. Your contributions to the well being and success of the Club’s Rugby fortunes are much appreciated. Apart from my own involvement with the Senior Club sides I would like to take this opportunity to wish the Under 21’s, the Junior and Womens Teams and the Minis and Youths every success and enjoyment in the coming Season. A special word of thanks goes to our Sponsors, whose support for the Clubs is invaluable. To our many Members and Supporters your encouragement and presence on the sidelines throughout the Season is very much appreciated. I would also like to welcome all visiting Players, Supporters and Officials to Stradbrook and I hope you enjoy your time with us, both on and off the pitch. Finally to our new Club President, Tony Amoroso, I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and I hope you enjoy your term in office and have a successful year. Best Wishes, Cian Culleton. 5 Brophy & Co. CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS REGISTERED AUDITORS ODE TO DRICO Waltzing Drico, Waltzing Drico, You go waltzing Drico in green, 45 tries in 120 tests is ample testimony, To our grestest rugby player in history, Strikes like a cobra with lighting speed, Conjurer of mesmerising wizardry of famous deed, Iconic talisman of Rock, Leinster, Ireland and the Lions he may be, His likes again we never shall see. Telephone: 01 825 0325 Email: [email protected] The Cottage, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath and Dunshaughlin Business Park, Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath Coach’s Message 2012/13 Since 1882 Blackrock College has been at the forefront of the club game in Ireland and is representative of so many of the best virtues of Rugby, making it an honour and a privilege to be appointed Head Coach for the 2012/13 season. While the disappointment of last season should never be forgotten it has served to remind everyone that achievement does not come without extreme hard work, sacrifice and determination from Players, Coaches and Members alike. So it is with real optimism that we begin this new campaign. My thanks go to our tireless management team of Tristan Wood, David Boyd and physio Albert Keogh whose dedication to the players has been invaluable. I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome Michael Carroll to the coaching team and wish him every success as he begins on his new pathway. To John Fairley and the under 21’s, Tanya and the ladies and all of the junior and mini players and coaches I wish you much success and look forward to working with you all closely throughout the season. Congratulations to incoming President Tony Amoroso and his Executive and I thank them for their continued hard work. It is a great credit to all involved that the Club is in the process of adding floodlights and a gym to its already impressive facilities in such difficult economic times. Lastly, but by no means least, to the Members, Sponsors and Supporters thank you for your unwavering support. You are the life blood of the club and your deeds are much appreciated by everyone who pulls on a ‘Rock’ jersey. It is understated how much a vocal support can lift a team so I urge you all to get to Stradbrook as often as possible and be a part of what promises to be a very exciting League campaign. Best Regards, Ben Manion 7 Executive Committee 2012/213 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 01. Frank O’Riordan 04. Robert Dobbyn 07. Conor Cleary Chairman Secretary 08. Paddy Lucey 02. Tony Amoroso 05. John Smith 09. John Costigan President Vice President 10. Tania Rosser 03. Alan McLean 06. Declan Carroll 11. Stuart Creavin Treasurer Immediate Past 12. Brian O’Neill President 13. Michael Jackson 9 Message from the President of the Leinster Branch It gives me great pleasure as President of the from Section ‘B’ Leinster Branch to wish Blackrock College RFC Schools as well the very best of luck over the forthcoming as Section ‘A’ campaign. and non-rugby playing Schools. We in Leinster Rugby are well served on the Leinster Branch Executive by Ben Underwood On the pitch we who is one of a host of members from your club have continued over the years to have made a significant impact to strengthen our Professional Squad with on the game in our province.