College Tribune | 3rd March 2009
Election Sport
University Talent Discovered Fergus Slattery on the 1971 victorious tour to New Zealand. by Ben McCormack With another Ireland win at the weekend it seems high time to recognize the players UCD has produced over the past, both recent and far. While the exploits of Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Paddy Wallace have whetted our appetites for the game, what of the old greats? UCD’s first international cap came in 1920 with Alan Courtney lining up in the green jersey, winning three caps before his tenure was up. But it wasn’t until a teenage star hit that UCD became a known feeder for the international set up. In the 1933/34 championships, some 70 years before O’Driscoll, Aidan Bailey was a flying centre from Presentation College Bray. In the Four Nations Championship of that season he proved it was possible to win things with kids as the men in green lifted the championship. This was to lead to better pursuits, as in 1963 Jimmy Kelly became the first member of a UCD panel to captain Ireland. The 1960s and ‘70s proved fruitful for the club as more notice was taken of the wily backs and determined forwards. The Lions looked to the College for a fair share of talent with two players on the ‘66, ‘68, and ‘74 squads, with only
It was a former student that gave Ireland their greatest chance of beating the All Blacks in their tour of 1973. Tom Grace on the wing ran in a solo effort to draw Ireland level with the tourists 10-10 with the conversion to come. Sadly the kick was put astray and that elusive win continued. It is hard to argue who is the most famous graduate of the pre-professional game. Fergus Slattery became one of the longest serving men for Ireland with 61 caps, 18 as captain. He also led Ireland to their first Triple Crown in 1982, a first in over 30 years. Scoring a total of 3 tries the flanker was accepted into the IRB Hall of Fame in 2007. However, the man who might be regarded as a better alma mater than Slattery is not a player but a coach. Mick Doyle was a player with UCD in the late 1960s and early 70s, as well as an international and Lion. But in 1984 he took over the coaching role from the highly successful and great Willie John McBride. With a great team emerging and after the Triple Crown win three years previous some were cautious about throwing in an ill experienced coach immediately into a championship. 1985 was the last time Ireland won the championship and the
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Triple Crown, denied a Grand Slam by France (again), drawing 15-15 in Dublin. Mick Doyle then led the 1987 team to the inaugural World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, but suffered a heart attack on the night of the opening dinner, consequently retiring his position as coach. For UCD the 1990s stayed quiet, a process was forming. Throughout it Ireland struggled, occasionally upsetting but never challenging. On the lower ages of the international scene, the U19s won their World Championships and gained notoriety as a team to watch. It didn’t take long for one player. In 2000, Brian O’Driscoll ran out for his first Six Nations Championship. The Irish were beaten by the biggest score they have ever received 50-18 against England. It seemed a non-starting tournament. However, a game against France in Paris allowed O’Driscoll to showcase his talent, scoring a hat-trick of tries to send Ireland home 25-27 winners. Since that time O’Driscoll has gone from strength to strength, gaining the captaincy from Keith Wood in 2003 and becoming the most capped captain of all time. He is also holds records for the most tries scored in the Six Nations and by and
Down the Line Irish player. He has linked up well over the years with other graduates such as Denis Hickie, who retired in 2007, Paddy Wallace and Gordon D’Arcy. But history tends to repeat itself, and this time very quickly. The new stock of exciting players is already being revealed and once again UCD is at the heart of it. Luke Fitzgerald recently got his first international try against Italy, as well as proving to be an explosive runner. Rob Kearney is being recognised perhaps as the next focal point of this team, such as O’Driscoll was with the last half of a generation. Whatever happens in the future, UCD’s history has been rich and looks on gaining in glory. With an undefeated run now stretching into three games of this Championship and a Lions tour to come, anything is possible.
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