Ulster Rugby v Edinburgh

Q&A CLUB

What is your Club logo and what does it represent? The club was founded by former pupils of Grosvenor High School in 1953 and we took the rampant Stag from the school badge. Who is your Club mascot? A gorilla cuddly toy bedecked in Grosvenor colours called Harambe. How many teams do you field? We have three adult teams playing in Championship 1, Provincial 1 and Regional East respectively giving our players the chance to play both serious and social rugby. Biggest achievement Our 1st XV a.k.a. ‘The Invincibles’ went through the 17/18 league campaign with 18 wins from 18 which we believe is a club record, securing a return to the top flight of Junior Rugby after a 40 year break. Another highlight was winning the Gordon West and Forster Cup finals on a memorable sun kissed day at Ravenhill in 2009. Proudest moment? 18 years ago we almost folded as a club and to have been nominated as ‘Ulster Club of the Year’ three times in the last ten years is a real honour. Having club member Stephen Hilditch MBE as IRFU President in 2016 was also very special. Tell us something unique that not everyone knows about the club? Stephen Hilditch refereed the 1995 World Cup semi-final where Will Carling's England were smashed almost single-handedly by Jonah Lomu who scored four tries.

Who is your President? Colin Dunwoody. Who is your Head Coach? Robert Ford. 1st XV Captain? Andrew Kelly. Number of members? Approximately 100. Name 3 players to watch? Allen McCluggage : veteran scrumhalf and ‘Le Petit General’. Andrew Kelly : rampaging former Ulster Juniors No.8 and club captain. Adam Skelton : precocious talent and hugely gifted footballer who can play anywhere in the backs. Who is your longest serving member? Sam Stewart is one of our founding members going back to 1953. Who is the ‘Club Clown’ and why? Peter ‘Daisy’ Davison – choirmaster, quizmaster and practical joker. Who is the hardest trainer? Big Willie Rea, hugely popular man-mountain who rarely misses a training session and never fails to give 100%. Club’s unsung hero and why? Stalwart Rab Weir propped for the club for over 40 years, was a team captain and committee member who combined playing in his later years with refereeing at Minor, School and Youth levels. A popular figure in local rugby, there’s not a club in Ulster Rab hasn’t refereed at, bringing his trademark droll style to each game. What is your Club song? Bizarrely, it’s a popular Sunday School song ‘There is a flag flying high’ complete with hand actions! The origins date back to an incident on a Scottish Tour over 20 years ago.

Email: aaron0288@hotmail.co.uk Website: www.grosvenorrugby.com @GrosvenorRFC

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