Ireland vs France - 10 Feb 2023

IRISH STUDENTS VS FRENCH UNIVERSITIES This season UCC RFC is celebrating its 150th Anniversary. UCC is the oldest rugby club in Munster and the third oldest in Ireland. Founded in 1872 when UCC was still known as Queen’s College Cork, UCC Rugby was the first sports club in college, and has defined the look of sports in UCC through its iconic Skull & Crossbones emblem.

Today we welcome the Irish Students and the French Universities to the Mardyke for what I hope, will be a great game of rugby. I would like to thank the Irish Universities Rugby Union (IURU) committee and particularly their President Fergus Ahern for allowing UCC to host this international match, at the Mardyke, as part of our 150th Anniversary celebrations.

The Mardyke has hosted some historic Irish Universities matches in the past. I personally remember these three games at the Mardyke.

1) 1974 Irish Universities 3 New Zealand 10 This match was to celebrate the Centenary of the IRFU. 8,000 spectators came to see Andy Leslie’s All blacks play the Irish University side. UCC’s Pat Parfrey was picked to play for Ireland against New Zealand 10 days later.

2) 1976 Irish Universities 18 New Zealand Universities 16 Four players from Cork that day, Ollie Waldron, Jerry Holland, Anthony O’Leary and Charlie McCarthy.

3) 1994 Irish Universities 11 USA 9 As coach of this team, it gave me great satisfaction that four of the Irish Universities players that day, went on to earn full Irish International caps, Dominic Crotty, John Kelly, Darragh O’Mahony and Denis Hickey.

Finally, I would like to thank our sponsors and commercial partners for their continued support of the club.

Finbar Dennehy President UCC RFC

IURU PRESIDENT’S LETTER Bienvenue à tous nos amies de Français.

On behalf of the Irish Universities Rugby Union (IURU) I would like to welcome our friends from the Federation Francaise du Sport Universitaire (FFSU) and the French Universities Rugby squad and management team to Ireland.

There is a great tradition to this fixture going back to the 1980s where students from both countries have no doubt great memories and developed friendships as a result. In 2022 the IURU and FFSU re-established it as an annual fixture between the sides.

We truly value the strong bonds and relationship developed with our French partners and hope that the fixture today reflects the best of both countries rugby, sporting and cultural traditions.

I would also like to congratulate UCC RFC on reaching such a significant milestone of 150th years in existence and thank UCC for hosting this fixture and related events as part of its celebrations this year.

The Mardyke is synonymous with Cork’s sporting heritage across all codes and it is a great honour for the Irish Universities to be playing this fixture in The ‘dyke today.

I hope that today’s match showcases the best of University rugby’s skills, flair and sportsmanship and in the spirit that we all appreciate so much in our game.

Fergus Aherne President – Irish Universities Rugby Union

IRELAND STUDENTS Forwards: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Jerry Cahir, Dublin City University (DUFC) Mark Nicholson, Technological University Dublin (DUFC) Thomas Connolly, Dublin University (DUFC) Aidan Brien, University College Cork (UCC RFC) Ruairi Clarke, Dublin City University (Lansdowne FC) Anthony Ryan, Dublin University (DUFC) (Captain) Bill Burns, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)* Sean O’Brien, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)

Backs: 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Louis O’Reilly, Dublin University (DUFC) Aran Egan, Dublin University (DUFC) Ronan Quinn, Dublin University (DUFC) Gavin Jones, Dublin University (DUFC) Killian Coghlan, University College Cork (UCC RFC)* Harry Donnelly, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)* Louis Bruce, University College Cork (UCC RFC)

Replacements: 16 17

Cathal Duff, Maynooth University (MU Barnhall RFC) Alessandro Heaney, University College Cork

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Ryan McMahon, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)* Jake McCay, Queens University Belfast (QUB RFC)* Patrick McBarron, University College Cork (UCC RFC)* Michael Moloney, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)* James Tarrant, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)* Jonny Hunter, Queens University Belfast (QUB RFC)* Hugh O’Malley, University College Dublin (UCD RFC)*

(Cork Constitution)

* Denotes new cap

FRANCE UNIVERSITIES Forwards: 1

AMBLARD Thibaud, Université de Montpellier (RC Aubenas Vals)

2

ARNAL Mathis, Oxytalis Montpellier (Montpellier Hérault RC)

3

BOURGEOIS Simon, Université de Bretagne Sud (RC Vannes)

4

DAKAJ Lendi, INSEEC Paris (Stade Français Paris)

5

DELAGE Baptiste, Supexup Narbonne (AS Béziers Hérault)

6

DUSSUTOUR Jules, Win Sport School (Union Bordeaux-Bègles)

7

FERARY Noé, Studency (Racing 92)

8

HOURCADE Aitor, Université Pau Pays de l’Adour (Aviron Bayonnais)

9

HUGEN Nathan, ESILV Paris (Stade Français Paris)

10

MAURO Louis, Oxytalis Montpellier (Montpellier Hérault RC)

11

PEYATVI Baptiste, Université de Perpignan (USA Perpignan)

12

PINDOR Lucas, INSEEC Paris (Stade Français Paris)

13

RATAJCZAK Julien, Ecole Privée Technique (Oyonnax Rugby)

Backs: 1

CHALIES Nils, IFSA & Nature (IFSA & Nature)

2

CHAMP Paul, INSEEC Paris (Stade Français Paris)

3

DANOVARO Tom, Université de Limoges (CA Brive Corrèze)

4

DELORME Ugo, Université de Rouen (Rouen Normandie Rugby)

5

DELOURMEL Farell, Université Paul Sabatier (US Colomiers Rugby)

6

DRUART Louis, Université Paris Dauphine (Stade Français Paris)

7

LACOSTE Tanguy, Université de Limoges (CA Brive Corrèze)

8

MARTINEZ Vincent, Oxytalis Montpellier (Montpellier Hérault RC)

9

SPRING Tom, ESAB Bayonne (Aviron Bayonnais)

10

VAN DE VEN Nathan, Université Pau Pays l’Adour (Aviron Bayonnais)

Match Day Referees: Referee: AR1: AR2: No 4: No 5:

Hamish Grant RFU Barrie O’Connell Paudie Sheehan.

Claudio Dona – MAR Philip Crowley – MAR

IRELAND STUDENTS VS FRANCE UNIVERSITIES The IURU organises Student representative fixtures against other representative sides inside and outside Ireland. In the past, the Combined Universities have played against full International touring sides, including the famous victory over the Springboks at Thomond Park in 1965.

In recent years, the Irish Universities have organised fixtures against other European Student representative sides.

2016 saw the revival of the third level international representative team in the guise of the Ireland Students, and this fixture, organised by the IURU, was designed as a launch-pad for the reintroduction of regular international matches for Irish student teams. Since this revival, the Ireland Students have completed the following fixtures: Universities/Students Rugby Feb 2023

Ireland

France

in UCC, Cork

May 2022

France

10-53

Ireland

in Bordeaux, FRA

Feb 2019

Ireland

31-03

Scotland

in Queens, Belfast

Feb 2018

Scotland 17-33

Ireland

in Edinburgh, SCO

Apr 2017

England 36-36 Ireland

in Oxford, ENG

Apr 2016

Ireland

in Trinity, Dublin

30-57 England

This season UCC RFC is celebrating its 150th Anniversary. UCC is the oldest rugby club in Munster and the third oldest in Ireland. Founded in 1872 when UCC was still known as Queen’s College Cork, UCC Rugby was the first sports club in college, and has defined the look of sports in UCC through its iconic Skull & Crossbones emblem. The 2023 edition of the Students/Universities game is being hosted as part of the UCC Rugby 150 Years celebration.

UCC wishes to thank the following sponsors: SAVILLS ESTATE AGENTS

WATERMAN KELLY

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