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Old Belvedere R.F.C.

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Old Belvedere
Full nameOld Belvedere Rugby Football Club
UnionIreland IRFU
BranchLeinster
Nickname(s)Belvo
The Lodge
Foundedc. 1918–19
RegionDublin
Ground(s)Ollie Campbell Park
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4 (Capacity: 1,000)
ChairmanJames McCarthy
PresidentPaul Cunningham
Coach(es)Andrew Kenny [1]
Captain(s)Steve Crosbie [1]
League(s)A.I.L. Div. 1B
2023–244th.[2]
Team kit
Official website
oldbelvedere.ie

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 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.

History

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Early years

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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 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 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.[3][4]

Reformed

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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, 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.[3][4]

Seven in a row

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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 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 the 1950s against Cardiff, Bristol, Wasps, Northampton and Leicester.[3][4][5]

New Zealand connection

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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.[3][4] In 1990 Ollie Campbell contacted Dr. Oliver Bourke, 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 the Canterbury Rugby Football Union.[6][7][8]

All Ireland League era

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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.[3][4] 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.[9] Old Belvedere won the 2010–11 All-Ireland League title after defeating Cork Constitution 20–17 in the final at Donnybrook Stadium on 1 May 2011.[10][11][12] 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.[1][13][14]

Women's team

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In the 1990s Old Belvedere introduced a women's team.[3] Old Belvedere fields two women's rugby union teams, one in the All-Ireland League Division 1 and another in the Leinster Division 1.[15] Between 2013 and 2015 Old Belvedere won three consecutive All Ireland Division One titles.[16][17][18] In 2015–16 and 2017–18 they also finished as runners up.[13][19]

Grounds

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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 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 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.[3]

Notable players

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British & Irish Lions British and Irish Lions
 Ireland internationals
 Ireland sevens internationals
 Ireland women internationals
 Ireland women sevens internationals
 New Zealand internationals
Others

Source:[4][5][20]

Coaches

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Years
1990s Donal Spring[3][4]
c. 1996 Bruce Deans[3][4][8]
c. 2007 Mike O'Donovan [9]
2013–17 Paul Cunningham [1]
2017– Eddie O'Sullivan[1]

Honours

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Senior Men's
  • All-Ireland League
    • Winners: 2010–11: 1
  • All-Ireland Cup
    • Runners Up: 2016–17: 1
  • Leinster Senior League
    • Winners: 1992–93, 2016–17: 2
    • Runners Up: 1991–92: 1
  • Leinster Senior Cup
    • Winners: 1939–40, 1940–41, 1941–42, 1942–43, 1943–44, 1944–45, 1945–46, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1967–68, 2006–07, 2011-12: 12
    • Runners Up: 1946–47, 1948–49, 1954–55, 1999–2000, 2009–10, 2015–16, 2016–17: 7
Senior Women's
  • All Ireland Division One
    • Winners: 2013, 2014, 2015 : 3
    • Runners Up: 2015–16, 2017–18 : 2

Source:[5][17][18]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Eddie O'Sullivan returns to coaching as new Belvo head coach". www.the42.ie. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  2. ^ League Tables 2023–24 at irishrugby.ie
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Club History". www.oldbelvedere.ie. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Traditional power are thriving in modern era". www.independent.ie. 5 January 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b c "Club Honours". www.oldbelvedere.ie. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Belvedere's Kiwi link points the way". www.independent.ie. 5 November 2000. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  7. ^ "Rugby: Spied in Romania". www.nzherald.co.nz. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Galwegians part ways with O'Sullivan". www.irishtimes.com. 4 September 1996. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  9. ^ a b "Division Two Final Preview: Old Belvedere v Greystones". www.irishrugby.ie. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Old Belvedere record famous win". www.irishtimes.com. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Old Belvedere 20-17 Cork Constitution". www.rte.ie. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  12. ^ "Cork Constitution v Old Belvedere - Ulster Bank League Division 1 Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  13. ^ a b "President's Message". www.oldbelvedere.ie. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  14. ^ "Con withstand Belvo comeback to complete first half of potential double". www.the42.ie. 29 April 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  15. ^ "About Old Belvedere Women's Rugby". www.oldbelvedere.ie. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  16. ^ "Old Belvedere v Blackrock - Women's AIL Division 1 Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 13 December 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Nora Stapleton leads Old Belvedere to another All Ireland success". www.highlandradio.com. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Stapleton and Hayes relishing rugby once again after quitting Ireland". www.irishtimes.com. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  19. ^ "UL Bohemians retain Women's All-Ireland League crown with win over Old Belvedere". www.the42.ie. 22 April 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Ireland Women's Squad Announced For 2018 Six Nations". www.irishrugby.ie. 22 December 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2018.
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