New Ross RFC
- …
New Ross RFC
- …
.
Director of Rugby Welcome
I have been a playing member of New Ross RFC since 1998 when I joined as a 7 year old mini player, and I undertook the role of Director of Rugby in July 2023. I represented the club as Club Captain for two seasons from 2017 to 2019, and I have played at all levels in the club making my senior debut in 2010.
The club has changed a lot since I joined, but the warm welcome and familiar faces have remained the same. There is always a positive energy in the club on and off the pitch, and it’s a welcoming club for players of all levels of ability. The rugby club is a very important community in New Ross and it’s a great place to learn and play rugby. The club has a huge mini and youth section, with over 500 boys and girls from New Ross and the surrounding area. We also have 3 adult teams, with the ladies competing in Leinster League division 1 and the men’s teams in Leinster League division 2A and Leinster Seconds division 2A.
Our aim is to create a club where players are constantly improving and being challenged in training and in matches. As a club we are well able to compete across all levels, and our numbers have been growing in recent years. We strive to develop quality rugby players who enjoy playing the game, and provide them with the opportunity to achieve this through our nursey, mini, youths, warriors and adult rugby sections.
The club relies on volunteers, and volunteer coaches are tasked with developing players that will go on to represent New Ross and clubs further afield in the future. In order for us to progress and improve we need to create a culture where high quality players are developed through our mini and youth rugby systems. We must also remember to allow players to enjoy the journey, embrace the highs and lows of playing rugby and hopefully players will have a hobby and sport for life.I would like to wish each team in the club every success for the season, and I would encourage all members to get involved in the club and it’s activities on and off the pitch.
Yours in rugby,
David Crowdle
New Ross RFC Director of Rugby 2024/2025
Fixtures & Results
Upcoming fixtures and recent results are posted on our Facebook page.
All fixtures, results and tables can be accessed on the Leinster Rugby SportLomo site.
Men's Rugby
Both 1sts and 2nds men's teams train together on Tuesday and Friday nights at 7.30pm at the club. The current management team is:
Michael Bolger - Head Coach
Ger Monahan - 2nds Coach
Kieran Tracey - Team Manager
Division 2B Winning Squad 21/22
Back Row L-R: Bob Dempsey, Michael Dunleavy, Jack Harte, Liam Furness, David Agbesan, Jamie Brennan, Jordan O'Brien, James Bryan, James Ryan, David Bailey, Rory Browne, James Fitzgerald, Tim Coughlan, James 'Tank' Ryan, Sam Prendergast, Des Cleary, Conor Dalton, Luke Lindell, Cormac Tierney.
Front Row L-R: Shane Roche, Foley Phillip, Dean Prendergast, Matt Crowdle, Eoghan O'Dwyer, David Thorpe, Ciarán Prendergast, Sean Kinsella, Kieran Butler, Barry Roche, Derek Furness, Brendan Roche.
Women's Rugby
It is only fair to say that the 2022/2023 season was the most successful year for the New Ross women's rugby team. Since reforming in 2018 the squad has grown from strength to strength. To get to that point, the team braved many challenging years off the back of great success earlier in the decade. The women were promoted to AIL Division 2 in 2012 after two successive years of winning Division 3 and Division 4 Leinster Leagues and just being pipped to the Paul Flood Cup in the final in 2012.
The women were served a win to start their AIL campaign against Young Munster at home on a historic day for the club in September 2012. Unfortunately, the women found the force of this division’s change of pace after being hit with the loss of players from retirements and emigration. The ladies served in the AIL division until there was restructure of women’s rugby in Ireland whereby AIL Division 2 was removed leaving only one division in the All Ireland League as it is to this day.
The women competed in the Leinster League from then before the team disbanded for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The squad reformed in 2018 with a renewed zest for rugby and took the development league by storm. They went on to win the Leinster League Division 4 in 2020 gaining much sought after promotion to Division 3 just before Covid struck. They were victorious in their efforts in this division in 2023 finishing off a fantastic campaign with a win in the Paul Cusack Cup in April, this feat of ‘doing the double’ was unmatched in the adult teams in New Ross before, not least thanks to the commitment and effort of the players but also with the dedicated expert eye of team manager Niall O’Callaghan. The following 2023/24 season coached by Ben Traynor was also a success for the women, having finished third in Leinster League Division 2 and reaching the semi final of the Paul Flood cup.
A recently revised division format seen the New Ross ladies gain promotion for this 2024/25 season. The squad endeavour to compete in Leinster League Division 1 and continue the pursuit of rising to the top of Leinster once again.
Coaching and management team for 2024/25 season:
Head coach: Niall O’Callaghan
Captain: Emma Flood
Vice Captain: TBC
Manager: Janelle Kirwan
Backs coach: Gordon Doyle
Forwards coach: Jimmy Byran and Pat Brennan
Strength and Conditioning coach: Paul Rossiter
Physio: Martin Conway
Trainings: Wednesdays and Fridays at 19:00-20:10 - all new players welcome.
Paul Cusack Cup Winners 2023
Back left: Sarah Meskill, Tara Furness, Kathryn Dempsey, Caoimhe McDonald, Molly Crowdle, Sabrina Stamp, Niamh Harte, Sheenagh Dillon, Georgina Hearn, Erin Flanagan, Eabha Cullen, Aoife Murphy, Anna Breen
Front left: Carol Kavanagh, Ann Marie Moloney, Sinead Clancy, Janelle Kirwin, Cora Cousins, Meadhbh O’Dwyer, Emma Flood, Jessica Sutton, Jennifer Dunne, Mary Lambert, Niamh Buggy.
Missing from photo:
Sabrina Stamp, Sarah Meskill, Valarie Curran, Helena Goodall, Aideen Brazil, Grainne Power, Sarah Larkin, Aoife Finnerty.
Coaches:
Niall O’ Callaghan, Paddy Carberry, Jimmy Bryan, Jordan O’Brien, Martin Conway (physio)
Dunbrody Warriors
In 2015, New Ross RFC was one of the first clubs in Ireland to set up an inclusive adaptive tag rugby team. This enabled local players, with a disability, to participate as fully as possible in the club as both players and members. On Saturday July 16th 2016, the Dunbrody Warriors had their first home match against De La Salle Palmerston Eagles in Southknock.
The Warriors team was set up in conjunction with Cumas New Ross, who provide training, employment and residential care for adults with a disability. We continue to work closely with Cumas as the Warriors continue to train and play rugby with us.
The Warriors play in matches all over Leinster and the rest of the country. They have played in festivals such as the Wood Spoon International Tag Rugby Festival and have even played at half time at Leinster Champions Cup matches!
The Dunbrody Warriors players and coaches after another great blitz.
The team was put in place by a sub-committee consisting of Mick Bailey, Mick Seale, Peter O'Brien, Maurice Quirke, Nick Murphy and Laura Doyle (Cumas). Nicky Haberlin and Rory Flynn have managed, coached, mentored and developed the team for many years.
Youths
Youths rugby teams range from U13s through to U18.5s for both boys and girls. Team managers and their contact details are listed below for each team. Stephen Clarke is our Youth Co-ordinator and can be contacted on 087 2673958 or stephen.clarke@nrrfc.ie . Please contact Stephen or the specific team manager to find out about training times or if you have any other queries.
Our youths teams play in South East and Leinster, league and cup competitions. Teams train once or twice a week and generally play on a Saturday.
We are always looking for new players to join us, at all levels and ages, regardless of experience. Players can join at any age and at any time of the season. Please come and give it a try.
Girls - U14 - Born 2011/2012
Don Cashman 087 1775191
Girls - U16 - Born 2009/2010
Thomas McCormick 086 8311339
Girls - U18.5 - Born 2006 (after 30th June)/07/08
Niall O'Callaghan 085 1103747
Boys - U13 - Born 2012
PJ Phelan 087 9212687
Boys - U14 - Born 2011
Stephen Clarke 087 2673958
Boys - U15 - Born 2010
Andrew Halpin 083 0631844
Boys - U16 - Born 2009
Rory Flynn 085 1728694
Boys - U17 - Born 2008
Conor Kehoe 087 9944387
Boys - U18.5 - Born 2006 (after 30th June)/07
David Crowdle 087 9392667
Minis
Minis rugby teams range from U8s through to U12s for both boys and girls. Team managers and their contact details are listed below for each team. Nicky Haberlin is our Minis Co-ordinator and can be contacted on 087 7964990 or nicky.haberlin@nrrfc.ie .
Minis training is normally held on a Sunday morning at 10:00. Most teams train once a week and play a blitz against other teams in the South East about once a month. Minis provides a great introduction to rugby in a fun environment. We have new players join us in nearly every month of the season (September to April) and every coach looks forward to building their team and bringing new players into it, regardless of their ability. Minis rugby really is for every child and it provides a great way for children (and parents) across New Ross and the local area to get to know each other. There is no 'wrong time' to join minis, just come along on a Sunday morning and give it a go!
Parents of minis players are especially welcome. We know this is your first contact with the club and we want to ensure that you and your child get the best rugby experience that we can provide. Please feel free to contact Nicky or the team manager listed below for further information. Please also do consider how you can get involved; nearly all of our minis (and youths) coaches are parents who moved into coaching. You don't have to have rugby experience to coach or assist coaches; if you want to help make a huge difference in a young person's life, through rugby, then please just let us know.
Boys & Girls - U8 - Born 2017/18
David Murphy 087 7574773
Boys & Girls - U9 - Born 2016
David O'Connor 083 8229878
Boys & Girls - U10 - Born 2015
Darren Molloy 087 7844459
Boys & Girls - U11 - Born 2014
Terry Murphy 087 0641327
Boys & Girls - U12 - Born 2013
Andrew Halpin 083 0631844
Rugby Nursery
Started in 2023, New Ross Rugby Nursery is a initiative that was started by Nicky Haberlin and Rory Flynn. It, uniquely, creates a starting point for younger children (aged 4 to 6) to start to learn about rugby, before they reach the minis-rugby stage.
The programme is run in six blocks throughout the year (indoor during winter and outdoor during summer) and has had massive success to date. Both in terms of introducing rugby, New Ross RFC and the wider rugby world to young children; but also in terms of engaging with parents and showing them how their child can benefit from playing rugby with us.
For further information, please contact Nicky on nicky.haberlin@nrrfc.ie.
Coaching
The club could not exist without the wonderfull work of countless volunteers, among whom are all of the coaches of minis and youths teams.
Coaches play an incredibly important role in the development of our young players, and we have a history of excellent coaches in our club over the years. New Ross RFC has produced players that have accomplished massive feats, including becoming senior team regulars, area and provincial representatives, provincial junior & senior players, club internationals, full internationals, British & Irish Lions and rugby players who have learned skills which they have used for their whole lives.
Coaches are encouraged to attend IRFU / Leinster Rugby coaching courses and pursue the relevant coaching awards, this affords our future stars the best opportunity to reach their potential. We require every coach to undergo the relevant vetting and safeguarding process, including safe guarding modules 1, 2, 3 and Garda Vetting.
We also launched our club coaching handbook in 2024, which highlights 5 core coaching values that should be evident and embraced in each of our training sessions.
PJ “Cha” Phelan is the club’s coaching coordinator, and Anne Marie Moloney is the girls rugby coordinator. They act as a link between coaches, working with the Director of rugby and encourage participation in coaching courses and development.
We would encourage any parent to think about how they could help with coaching, either coaching directly or assisting the workload of existing coaches. Please contact our Director of Rugby, David Crowdle at david.crowdle@nrrfc.ie or any of the team coaches listed above, if you'd like to help. The rewards for being a coach are huge due to the influence that you can have on a young person's life and are invaluable to the club.
Club Community Rugby Officer
New Ross RFC is acutely aware of the enormous potential to have a positve influence on the wider community in terms of improvements in fitness, health outcomes and levels of sporting participation along with providing increased access to social interaction.
For this reason and for several years, New Ross RFC has participated and invested in the Club Community Rugby Officer (CCRO) Scheme administered by Leinster Rugby. The CCRO has a defined role within the Club with an objective of introducing rugby to all the primary and secondary Schools within the catchment area - a total of up to 45 schools and over a 1000 children! The objective is to encourage maximum sporting involvement, fitness, teamwork and camraderie among both boys and girls as well as specifically urging participation in either full contact or tag rugby among the entire school population.
The CCRO also works with Wexford Sports Partnership under the auspices of Wexford County Council on specific sport and activity projects targeted at disabilty groups and women.
The Club ethos is one of urging maximum integration and inclusivity with an attitude that there is a place for everyone within the sport.
We are very fortunate to have Katie Meek as our CCRO, please keep an eye out for her in a school near you!
Please contact us on rugby@nrrfc.ie if you would like us to support/attend any community event that you might be holding. We're always happy to help promote the club at opportunies around the town and locality.
Club Captain Emma Flood and CCRO Katie Meek with rugby nursery participants in Summer 2024
New Ross Rugby Football Club © 2024