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8
THE ROYAL BELFAST ACADEMICAL INSTITUTION
GOOD LUCK FROM
ROGER WILSON
Then winter comes and dark cold afternoons
are filled with training sessions, to get ready
for the next round of the cup. The games
never get easier and the challenge is stark,
but St. Patrick’s Day has finally arrived. For 80
minutes at Kingspan Stadium both teams will
get the chance to do what most schoolboys
dream of doing, playing in a Schools’ Cup
Final.
I got lucky. I played in two finals in 1998 and
2000 and was on the winning team both times.
I have played many times at Ravenhill (now
Kingspan Stadium) for Ulster and it never
ceases to be special, even today. But nothing
will replicate the feeling I got as a teenager
running out for RBAI in those two games. You
are never just representing your school in a
final, there are many other people involved.
You are representing your best friends inside
rugby and out. You are representing your
family, especially your parents who have
sacrificed so much time and effort to support
you on all those cold days and nights. Finally,
you are representing people all around the
globe who went to the school and will be
supporting you for every minute of the game
today.
I benefited a huge amount from my rugby
experience at Inst under Brian McLaughlin
who was my coach at school and later at
Ulster. It was a different era in many ways
back then... The shirts were baggier, weight
sessions weren’t as rigorous perhaps and
there were more gaps in open play. But we
were still always motivated by the need to play
and win for our team mates, who remain some
of my closest friends to this day.
Those friends are scattered around the world
today. The years have been kinder to some
rather than others. Some will watch in front of
the TV, some will catch a sneaky glance at a
second screen in the office and many will be
at the game. Life moves on very quickly, so
remember to cherish every last second on
the field today. You are playing in the Danske
Bank Schools’ Cup Final, which is something
many dream of, but few experience. You will
remember today for the rest of your lives.
Good luck and enjoy every moment.
Today is the fruit of over nine months’ hard labour for both Wallace
and Inst. Before the ink has dried on their summer exams, these
players will have been working hard and relentlessly in the dark
confines of the gym.