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Four ‘Get Fit with Ulster Rugby Bootcamps’
based at rugby clubs which targeted females
aged sixteen and over.
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Four ‘Men’s Get Active’ sessions based at rugby
clubs which targeted males aged over thirty five.
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Social Inclusion Programme (Your Club
your History). The interest in the club history
programme was so significant that a thorough
consultation process was undertaken with thirty
nine clubs forming the basis for an application to
the Heritage Lottery Fund. If successful the ‘Your
Club Your History’ programme will become a
province wide initiative.
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The IRFU (Ulster Branch) established a
partnership with Action Mental Health (AMH)
to deliver the ‘Mindset’ programme to young
players in clubs across the province. Three
groups of players received workshops with
further sessions delivered to referees, coaches,
club officials and parents.
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To assess the needs for future Health and
Wellbeing initiatives Sector 3 Solutions
conducted a series of consultation events across
the province.
Work has been ongoing throughout the year in the
development of bids to other funding programmes. The
IRFU (Ulster Branch) is currently waiting on decisions
regarding the following applications:-
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EU Peace IV Funding.
In partnership with the Irish
FA and Ulster GAA, we are awaiting a decision in
June 2017 relating to a symbolic joint multi-sport
partnership bid to the EU Peace IV Programme
worth £1.5 million in total (£0.5 million to Ulster
Rugby).
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Heritage Lottery Fund.
An application has been
submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a
one year development grant worth £68,500. If
successful, this investment will be used to work with
Clubs and key stakeholders to finalise the shape
and structure of a three year history project which
will capture, archive, celebrate and showcase the
memories and records of almost one hundred
and forty years of rugby union history in Ulster.
Decisions for the initial one year development grant
will be given in June 2017 and if successful, a further
application will be submitted worth circa £600,000
for the three year project.
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The Executive Office.
An application worth
£81,000 has been submitted to the Central Good
Relations Fund through The Executive Office to build
upon the successful “Inclusive Rugby” programme.
If successful, this one year project will focus on key
stage 2 pupils from some of the hardest to reach
primary schools across Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Staff have also been instrumental in supporting
a number of clubs to secure funding for a range
of initiatives across a variety of different funding
programmes. This has included funds to improve
facilities and support participation programmes. Again
work is ongoing with clubs to support their further
development through access to external funding
programmes.
Women’s Rugby
With the Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place in
Ireland in August 2017, the profile of the women’s game
in Ulster has never been higher and the opportunities for
growing the game have never been greater. However, a
number of challenges still remain in terms of growing the
game sustainably from mini rugby through to the adult
level.
In the Adult game twelve clubs fielded teams at three
different levels throughout the year (All Ireland League,
Ulster Women’s Championship and Ulster Women’s
Development). A full breakdown of team performance
can be found elsewhere in this report. Post-Christmas
saw the introduction of monthly Wednesday afternoon
blitzes for students in third level education at Queens
University and Ulster University (Jordanstown and
Coleraine Campuses). Due to the success and level of
uptake by students plans are already underway to build
upon this for next season.
In the Youth game competition structures operated at
Under 18 and Under 15 level. Six teams competed
at U18 with Virginia winning the league and cup
double, beating Monaghan in the Cup final. Five
teams competed at U15 level with Enniskillen winning
the League but losing to Virginia in the Cup Final. In
addition, this season saw a focus on U12s, with blitzes
being organised monthly to provide players with
regular access to games throughout the season. Four
clubs (Armagh, Donaghadee, Malone and Virginia)
represented Ulster at the Women’s Rugby World Cup
U12 blitz at Carton House in April which was organised
by the IRFU.
At Schools level we have continued to see a growth in
playing numbers. This has been facilitated by our ability
to offer different formats of the game and different entry
levels for schools, depending on their experience.
In Tag Rugby twenty seven teams took part in the
development format with a further ten entering the
main competition in which Royal School Dungannon
beat Grosvenor Grammar School by 10 tries to 8 in the
Danske Bank Girls Tag Schools Cup Final.
Contact rugby in schools is facilitated through the GX7s
format and is offered at Junior (Year 9-10-11) and Senior
(Year 12-13-14) level. Eighteen teams from fourteen
schools entered the Junior and Senior competitions.
Pre-Christmas, Enniskillen Royal Grammar School,
Kilkeel High School, Monaghan Collegiate and Royal
School Cavan qualified for the All Ireland Senior Schools
Competition at the Aviva. Post-Christmas the Ulster
Girls School Senior 7s Cup had to be cancelled due to
adverse weather and was unable to be rescheduled
due to Easter holidays and subsequent proximity to
exams. Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny won
the inaugural Ulster Girls’ Schools Junior 7s Cup. In
addition, a number of other schools which weren’t
involved in the competitions are now offering contact
rugby to girls. It is hoped that for the 2017/18 season,
with the support of the schools, additional playing
opportunities can be provided with the proposed
introduction of a 7s series at both Junior and Senior
level. This season also saw the first ever Interprovincial
Development 7s tournaments.
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