Ulster Rugby vs Toulon

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT SQUAD (RDS)

Last Saturday, the Ulster U18 Girls Regional Development Squad (RDS) travelled to Westmanstown Sports Ground, on the outskirts of Dublin, to take part in an Inter-provincial blitz against Connacht and Munster.

U18 GIRLS’

In the opener versus Connacht, two tries from Claire Boles and one from Maire Hanrahan, along with two conversions from Erin Caughey,

U18 GIRLS’ REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT SQUAD:

saw Ulster come out on top 19-15. Ulster then produced a magnificent

Lucy Barr Collegiate College/Enniskillen* Hanna Beattie Down High/Ballynahinch* Claire Boles Collegiate College/Enniskillen* Storm Cobain Ballyclare HS/Malone Kathryn Dane Enniskillen Collegiate/ Enniskillen* Stacey Fluke Armagh Tech/ Armagh Alison Glass Collegiate College/ Enniskillen* Leah Gregory Bailieborough Community School/Virginia* Maire Hanrahan Aquinas/Malone* Hanna Harris Bangor Academy/Bangor* Lisa Henry Newtownhamilton High/Armagh* Vicky Irwin Royal School Armagh/Armagh Neve Jones Cambridge House/Malone* Molly Lavery St Michael’s Grammar/Armagh Emily Martin Strathearn/Ards* Beccie McCauley City of Armagh High/ Armagh Bethany McDowell Grosvenor Grammar/Malone* Leah Mudi Wellington/ Ballynahinch* Morna O’Hanlon Loreto College, Cavan/Armagh Rebecca Pennell Collegiate College/Enniskillen* Rebecca Rainey Omagh Academy/Omagh* Jill Stephens Down High/Ballynahinch* Rachel Tombs Methodist College/ Harlequins* Erin Caughey Grosvenor Grammar School/QUB* Sian McIlwaine Sullivan Upper/Harlequins* Carla Rafferty Royal School Armagh/Armagh* Zarah Ryan Victoria College/Harlequins* Nicole Watterson Glenlola Collegiate/Bangor* Tammy-Lee Wood Hazelwood/Malone) *denotes first season on RDS squad If you wish to find out more about female rugby opportunities in your area please feel free to contact your local Female Rugby Officer: Great Belfast Area Neal Johnston Neal.Johnston@Ulsterrugby.com, 07767 115 764 North Ulster Glenda Mellon Glenda.Mellon@Ulsterrugby.com 07442 490 459 South Ulster Zoe Templeton Zoe.Templeton@Ulsterrugby.com 07767 117 937

performance against Munster. A try from Neve Jones, followed by some outstanding defence (of particular note was Rebecca Rainey’s try- saving tackle) resulted in a first ever win over Munster at this level, by the slightest of margins. The squad will now face Leinster at the same venue on Saturday 1st November to fight it out for first and second place in the series. Whatever the result in the Leinster game, Ulster has already shown huge progress since re-joining this competition last year, after several years of not being involved. It is interesting to note the number of players who have been involved in the Girls Schools’ Cup, while the improving skill level of the girls is testiment to their coaches at club level. The future looks bright with so many of the current RDS squad at the lower limit of the age grade. There is also clear evidence of a pathway for players with two of the squad, Erin Caughey and Kathryn Dane, recently representing Ireland at U18 7s level and also being involved in the Ulster Women’s senior squad during the summer.

MANAGEMENT: Darren McGuigan Head Coach Neill Alcorn Assistant Coach David Heaps Manager Zoe Templeton Player Liaison

UlsterBranch

23

www. ulster rugby.com

ULSTER RUGBY