Cork rugby team to represent Ireland at U12 boys World Cup

THE Kinsale U12 rugby team has been afforded a unique opportunity to represent Ireland at the U12 boys World Cup, which coincides with the main tournament.

Fifty-five members of Kinsale RFC will depart on Thursday, September 7, for the trip of a lifetime. The travelling party consists of 28 players and 27 adult members.

Kinsale Rugby Club PRO Paul McSherry said the club was asked to take part in the prestigious tournament through an old club contact.

“The club in France is called Ovalive,” Mr McSherry said. “A brother of one of their patrons was involved years ago in rugby coaching with kids in Kinsale.

“He reached out to us about a year ago and we said we could do it. As it developed, we have built a bit of a rapport with them. We have a great team of boys who are getting to live their dreams,”

The Kinsale U12 rugby team will be playing six games over the space of two days. They will be competing against sides from major rugby nations such as France, England, New Zealand, and Italy, said the club PRO.

“We will be playing six games in total. We are playing three games on the Friday and three games on the Saturday. We will be playing our games in the north of Marseille. We are very lucky. We are the only team from Ireland to be invited to come over and play in this U12 World Cup tournament. There are teams from New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and England competing in this tournament. London Irish are the English representatives at the tournament.

“A big gala banquet will be held on Friday evening. The French club is in a big food region. Kinsale is a big food town. We are representing West Cork produce. We are going over there with O’Flynn sausages and stuff from Carbery. We are bringing the boys to the South Africa versus Scotland game on Sunday evening,” he added.

“The players can’t wait,” said Mr McSherry. “They are seriously focused on performing well enough to make their town, county, province, and nation proud.

“We have been training since the beginning of July. We let the kids know last year that the tour was on. They have been focusing very hard on it. We have been training twice a week.

“Denis Collins, who is the senior coach with Kinsale RFC, has given his Wednesdays and Sundays to us. He has coached the lads to a really high level. Scott Buckley, who plays for Munster, is a former club member and he also came down on a few occasions to give the players a few pointers.”

The club will be presenting the players with their touring gear this Sunday, which will be followed by a barbecue, said the club official.

“We are giving the players their touring gear this Sunday. There will be a big ceremony and the club is putting on a big barbecue. There is huge excitement among the players. We want this tournament to be a fun tour for them. It is an opportunity of a lifetime. We want them to have a great experience and embrace it.”

The club PRO praised the local community for their support during the recent fundraising campaign which enabled their dreams to come true.

“A number of local businesses have been a great help with our fund-raising campaign which is greatly appreciated. We did a number of fund-raising drives such as bag packing and a bingo night. People locally have been brilliant.”

The Kinsale U12 rugby team will go to France trying to replicate the heroics of Cork rugby stars Peter O’Mahony and Jack Crowley.

Paul said they are a ‘good’ bunch of players. “They are a good team. They are rarely beaten. We went to a big rugby tournament in Dublin last May and we won all around us. They are a good bunch of players.”