28-651: Old Belvedere R.F.C. is a senior Irish rugby union club based on Anglesea Road in Ballsbridge , Dublin , Ireland . Old Belvedere was originally founded in 1918–19 by former pupils of Belvedere College . Old Belvedere enters senior men's teams in the All-Ireland League , the Leinster Senior League and the Leinster Senior Cup . In 2010–11 they were All-Ireland League champions. Between 1940 and 1946
56-457: A friend who had emigrated to New Zealand , about the possibility of sending Old Belvedere youth players to Timaru for the summer. The ad hoc arrangement saw several players, including Peter McKenna , playing in New Zealand. The New Zealand connection also saw Steve McDowall and Bruce Deans coach and play with Old Belvedere. In 1998 Old Belvedere established a more formal arrangement with
84-618: A row between 1940 and 1946. Their unbeaten run in the cup came to an end on 26 April 1947 when they lost the 1947 final to Wanderers . Another highlight from this era saw an Old Belvedere XV defeat a visiting New Zealand Services XV 12–6 in December 1946. Old Belvedere was the first Irish side to play a touring side after the Second World War , beating Racing Club de France 6–0 in Lansdowne Road . Several prestigious wins were recorded in
112-612: A significant issue. In 1925 the union designed their own flag, incorporating the arms of the four provinces. Although it had the same elements as the Flag of the Four Provinces , it was not identical, instead having them separated on a green background with the IRFU logo in the centre. Even so, the call to fly the Irish tricolour at Lansdowne Road continued. In 1932, despite the IRFU insisting that only
140-650: Is still used by the Ireland rugby union side, albeit with the logo updated in the middle. At the 2011 Rugby World Cup , the Ireland team entered the field of play at the beginning of their matches with the Irish tricolour and the Flag of Ulster . Similar to the flag and logo compromise, since The Rugby World Cup in 1995 , the Irish rugby team has sung both the Irish national anthem " Amhrán na bhFiann " and " Ireland's call ". There are currently approximately 95,000 rugby players in total in Ireland. There are 56 clubs affiliated to
168-695: Is the body managing rugby union in the island of Ireland (both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland ). The IRFU has its head office at 10/12 Lansdowne Road and home ground at Aviva Stadium , where adult men's Irish rugby union international matches are played. In addition, the Union also owns the Ravenhill Stadium in Belfast , Thomond Park in Limerick and a number of grounds in provincial areas that have been rented to clubs. Initially, there were two unions:
196-510: The 1999 World Cup at the ground. The next full International played at Ravenhill was the Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Italy in August 2007 due to the temporary closure of Lansdowne Road for reconstruction. The four provincial branches of the IRFU first ran cup competitions during the 1880s. Although these tournaments still take place every year, their significance has been diminished by
224-564: The Canterbury Rugby Football Union . Old Belvedere won the Leinster Senior League title in 1992–93, gaining promotion to the All-Ireland League Division 2 . This team was coached by Donal Spring and featured Bruce Deans . In 2006–07, with a team captained by Scott Hutton and featuring Andrew Dunne , Old Belvedere won their eleventh Leinster Senior Cup after a lapse of thirty nine years. Old Belvedere won
252-705: The Irish Football Union , which had jurisdiction over clubs in Leinster , Munster and parts of Ulster and was founded in December 1874, and the Northern Football Union of Ireland, which controlled the Belfast area and was founded in January 1875. The IRFU was formed in 1879 as an amalgamation of these two organisations and branches of the new IRFU were formed in Leinster, Munster and Ulster. The Connacht Branch
280-778: The Ulster Branch; 71 to the Leinster Branch; 59 to the Munster Branch and 23 to the Connacht Branch. In addition, there are 246 schools playing rugby: Ulster (107), Leinster (75), Munster (41) and Connacht (23). The IRFU also has an Exiles branch tasked with developing "Ireland-qualified" players (i.e., eligible to play internationally for Ireland as members of the Irish diaspora ) living in England, Scotland and Wales. Volunteers provide coaching, administration and development under
308-421: The 1950s against Cardiff , Bristol , Wasps , Northampton and Leicester . The 1970s and 1980s were a lean period for the first team. Old Belvedere decided to become an open club again in 1976. Tom McGurk and the former St Mary's centre, Gary O'Hagan, became the first two non– Belvederian players to play for Old Belvedere since the club's earliest days. In 1990 Ollie Campbell contacted Dr. Oliver Bourke,
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#1732868814234336-607: The 2010–11 All-Ireland League title after defeating Cork Constitution 20–17 in the final at Donnybrook Stadium on 1 May 2011. In 2016–17 Old Belvedere won the Leinster Senior League title for a second time. They also finished as runners up in both the Leinster Senior Cup and the All-Ireland Cup . In the 1990s Old Belvedere introduced a women's team. Old Belvedere fields two women's rugby union teams, one in
364-543: The All-Ireland League Division 1 and another in the Leinster Division 1. Between 2013 and 2015 Old Belvedere won three consecutive All Ireland Division One titles. In 2015–16 and 2017–18 they also finished as runners up. Old Belvedere played their first match, during the 1918–19 season, against Old St Mary's at Beech Hill, Donnybrook . Old Belvedere and Old St Mary's shared this ground. Old Belvedere won
392-561: The IRFU flag was flown at home internationals, pressure continued such that the Minister for External Affairs in the Free State asked to meet with the president of the Union. The result was that on 5 February 1932, the IRFU unanimously voted to fly both the flag of the union and the national flag at Lansdowne Road at all international matches in Dublin. The IRFU flag, as designed in 1925, is that which
420-460: The Metropolitan Cup, in 1936 and retained it in 1937. These results encouraged the club to apply for senior status which was gained in time for the 1937–38 season. Old Belvedere recorded their first win in the Leinster Senior Cup in 1940 when they defeated Blackrock College 11–6 after receiving a bye into the second round. Old Belvedere subsequently won the Leinster Senior Cup seven times in
448-524: The United Kingdom). To maintain the unity of Irish rugby union and the linkages between North and South, the IRFU purchased a new ground in 1923 in the Ravenhill district of Belfast at a cost of £2,300. The last full International at Ravenhill involving Ireland for more than a half-century took place in 1953–54 against Scotland who were victorious by 2 tries (6 points) to nil. Australia played Romania in
476-499: The advent of an All-Ireland league of 48 Senior Clubs in 1990. The four provincial teams have played an Interprovincial Championship since the 1920s and continue to be the focal point for players aspiring to the international level. These are Munster , Leinster , Ulster and Connacht . All four provinces play at the senior level as members of the United Rugby Championship . The Irish Rugby Football Union represents
504-574: The basis of the full 32 Irish counties and the traditional four provinces of Ireland: Leinster (12 counties), Ulster (9 counties), Munster (6 counties), and Connacht (5 counties), as they had been whilst all in the United Kingdom. This led to the unusual, but not unique, situation among international rugby union teams, where the Irish representative teams are drawn from players from two separate political, national territories: Ireland (an independent, sovereign state) and Northern Ireland (a part of
532-461: The club won the Leinster Senior Cup seven times in a row. This remains a competition record. Old Belvedere also enters men's and women's teams in various senior, junior and youth leagues. Old Belvedere Rugby Football Club was originally established in 1918–19 following a meeting at Belvedere College . The club initially played in the Dublin League. At the final meeting during their debut season, it
560-469: The early twenties, when the Irish Free State was established, the union was left in the position of governing a game for one island containing two separate political entities. A controversy ensued as to what flag should be flown at international matches. For a side that played both in Dublin and Belfast (the former being in the Free State, the latter being politically part of the United Kingdom) this posed
588-727: The internment of other players, during Irish War of Independence era contributed to the demise of the original club before the start of the 1922–23 season. Old Belvedere reformed as a junior club in April 1930. This time membership was restricted to former pupils of Belvedere College . The team reached the final of the Leinster Junior League in their first season following their return, losing 11–3 to Bective Rangers . Six future club presidents - George J. Morgan , Eddie Gleeson, Tommy Whelan, Paddy Kevans, John Cummins and Bob O'Connell - all played in this final. The club won their first trophy,
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#1732868814234616-457: The island of Ireland and the emblems and symbols it uses have reflected its association with the whole of the island of Ireland since its formation. Some elements have changed since 1874, but what has remained consistent throughout the history of the union is the use of the shamrock in its emblems. Originally the Shamrock was a five-sprig emblem covering most of the lefthand side of the jersey and this
644-479: The match 6–0. The original Old Belvedere team continued to play at Beech Hill before briefly relocating to Vernon Avenue. When the club was relaunched in 1930, a new ground was leased in Ballymun . The ground lease on Anglesea Road was acquired in 1944 but the first match was not played there until February 1949 due to the amount of work required to level and drain the pitches. In June 1949, the old stand from Croke Park
672-467: The official match programmes from the 1920s to 1954, showing a single shamrock surrounded by an oval had no relation to the official jersey emblem. The only time an Irish jersey had a single shamrock was when the Ireland side toured Chile and Argentina in 1952 and Argentina in 1970, and in both series no caps were awarded. Although the use of the shamrock has been a constant, albeit with modifications to design, other elements of symbology have changed. In
700-645: Was acquired from the GAA in exchange for a strip of land required to build the Cusack Stand, Belvedere College owned the land beside Croke Park. Floodlights were installed in 1972. The stand was destroyed in a fire in 1993. The concrete terrace that exists today dates from 1958. The present pavilion was opened in 1962 and the old bar and ballroom were replaced in 1995 after the 1993 fire. Source : Source : Irish Rugby Football Union The Irish Rugby Football Union ( IRFU ) ( Irish : Cumann Rugbaí na hÉireann )
728-552: Was decided to enter senior rugby union and open the club to other Jesuit college students and "to outsiders, who may wish to join us." Their first senior match was against a now defunct club, Merrion. On Saint Patrick's Day 1920, Old Belvedere played their first Leinster Senior Cup game which they lost 0–3 to Wanderers . Kevin Barry played for the Old Belvedere seconds during the 1920–21 season but his arrest and execution, along with
756-672: Was formed in 1900. The IRFU was a founding member of the International Rugby Football Board, now known as World Rugby , in 1886 with Scotland and Wales . (England refused to join until 1890.) Following the partition of Ireland in to what is now the Republic of Ireland (an independent country) and Northern Ireland (a region of the United Kingdom), the then Committee of the Irish Rugby Football Union decided that it would continue to administer its affairs on
784-450: Was used until the 1898 game against England in when it was replaced with a white shield with a sprig of four similar sized shamrocks. In 1927 a new crest was introduced, with the shamrock design altered to a sprig of three shamrocks of a similar size within a smaller white shield. This was the official crest until 1974 when the centenary logo was used, and which continued to be used with only a slight modification made in 2010. Logos used on
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