Ulster Schools' Cup Final 2016

TODAY’S CAPTAINS

CONOR FIELD RBAI

JAMES BOYLE CAMPBELL COLLEGE

I am currently studying P.E, Geography and Business Studies at A2 level and my plan is to go Loughry College to study Food and Business Management next year. After this game and the end of the school year my sights will be set on being involved with the Ulster U20 squad this summer. Over the years, I have represented Inst in athletics and was an Ulster champion in the 100m, long jump and 4x100m relay events, holding Irish silver and bronze medals. My love for rugby all started in P2 at Lisburn RFC and I was awarded RBAI’s John Marshall Trophy for Medallion Player of the Year. Being involved in RBAI’s 1st XV over the past three years and also representing Ulster at U17, U18 Schools and U19 has been an honour. I would like to say thank you to Mr Soper for all of his hard work – he is a great coach and a bit of a genius when it comes to rugby. I would also like to recognise Lewis McNamara, who has been really supportive in helping me as captain. Not many people get that luxury, he was a great captain and he managed to pick me up when we got beat by Campbell and Wallace. He’s certainly shown me the ropes this year. There will be nerves today of course. It’s my first Schools’ Cup final as I was injured this time last year. There are boys in the team who have been there and bought the t-shirt, so hopefully their experience will help today. It was a bittersweet experience for me last year, watching from the side-lines with Lewis picking up the trophy. I promised myself at that moment that I would be there this year. Captaining this squad of boys is definitely the highlight of my rugby career to date. I am honoured to lead out my teammates in this year’s final at Kingspan Stadium and only hope we can do the double.

Rugby was never my first love, but after piling on the pounds in the latter stages of primary school I thought I’d take up a new sport that accepted all shapes and sizes! It was only when I joined Campbell that rugby union became my new passion, more than just a hobby. Although I was a regular on the C and D team it didn’t really matter to me as I enjoyed the sense of belonging and pride in school sport. I owe a lot to Campbell, it is Campbell that has guided me through the formative years of my life and has made me into the young man I am today. Campbell is so much more than just a school, the ethos is embedded at the very core of each pupil that passes through it’s doors. Being part of the rugby club has provided me with the most amazing opportunities; one particular highlight was travelling to South Africa in 2014. Being asked to captain the club is a huge honour, the black jersey has captured the essence and hopes of our school for over 100 years. I am a committed Christian and seek to honour God on and off the rugby pitch and this has influenced how I choose to lead this group of talented players. The core of this team has journeyed through school rugby together from U12 to 1st XV level, picking up some players along the way. The hard fought battles we have gone through as a group are the foundations to the bonds that have been made that will stand the test of time. We will look back on St. Patrick’s Day 2016 fondly.

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