29 / 44
27
COACH PROFILES
DEREK SUFFERN
DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
Derek is an ex pupil of The Wallace HS.
He has been Director of Rugby at Wallace
for seven years and Head Coach at
Ballynahinch RFC for ten years. He has
worked with Ulster & Irish Representative
squads and as a player represented Ulster
and Irish Schoolboys and Ulster U20s.
NEIL HINDS
ASSISTANT COACH
Neil is an ex pupil of Dromore HS and The
Wallace HS. He has been a teacher at The
school for eighteen years and Head of PE,
Master i/c Rugby and Cricket for nine years.
This is his third Schools' Cup Final as a
coach.
IAN LATHAM
ASSISTANT COACH
Ian is an ex pupil of Belfast HS and has
been a teacher at The Wallace HS for nine
years and Head of Year for five. Ian was the
Head Coach of last year’s Danske Bank 2nd
XV Cup Winners.
DANIEL SOPER
DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
Daniel is a native of New Zealand but has a
long association with Ulster rugby. Having
played at Banbridge and Ballynahinch in
the AIL he is now Head Coach at Banbridge
and has worked with Ulster under 17
and 20’s in the past. After seven years at
Ballyclare High School he is now into his
second year at Inst as Director of Rugby.
RICHARD HEDLEY
COACH
Richard has taught Mathematics in RBAI
for 18 years and has worked with the First
Fifteen since 2002. From 2009 until 2013
he coached the Ulster U19’s and then the
Ulster Schools squad. He played in the AIL
for Queens University and Ballynahinch,
and is now Head Coach of Portadown RFC.
RBAI
WALLACE HS