The IRFU and the Government, through the auspices of the Irish Sports Council (ISC), are to invest £400,000 in a new development scheme, the Tallaght Youth Rugby Club.
The initiative, aimed at boys and girls in the 10-14 age bracket, was introduced to schools in Tallaght last September. It now caters for 17 schools: 13 National schools, including two special category schools, and four Secondary schools, taking in almost 2,000 children.
The scheme is administered by the Leinster Branch under the guidance of Leinster development manager Phil Lawlor, the former Ireland and Bective number eight.
There are now four full-time Youth Development Officers (YDOs) working from the Balbrook Enterprise Centre. Funding has been provided by the IRFU and the ISC. The latter have contributed £177,000, while £100,000 is expected to be raised from local businesses.
The Tallaght Youth Rugby Club, who train every Saturday morning at Tallaght Community School, are scheduled to play their first game against Terenure College (Under-14s) at the end of the month.
The children have also been invited to leave a lasting impression off the pitch, as a competition is being run to design the new playing gear and crest of the club.
IRFU president Billy Lavery stressed that the union were keen to encourage young people to get involved in sport, and he affirmed the intention of Irish rugby's governing body to introduce similar schemes to other areas - Limerick is expected to be one - in the near future.
Meanwhile, an IRFU committee are to discuss today a proposal outlining the introduction of a "Celtic League", involving Irish provinces, Scottish districts and Welsh clubs. This notion has long been touted, but at last there seems to be a definite blueprint and the issue is expected to be debated at length.
In the AIB League Division One, Cork Constitution welcome back international scrumhalf Brian O'Meara for their trip to DLSP. O'Meara ended a long period on the sidelines when he came on as a replacement in the A international against Italy last Friday. The other change sees the return of interprovincial wing Anthony Horgan at the expense of Derek Dillon.
Dungannon have named Tyrone Howe in their side which play hosts to Lansdowne at Stevenson Park. The Ireland A wing bruised some ribs in Donnybrook last weekend on representative duty and his chances of playing are rated no better than 50/50.
CORK CONSTITUTION: B Walsh; A Horgan, J Kelly, C Mahony, T Kiernan; R O'Gara, B O'Meara; I Murray, F Sheahan, J O'Driscoll; K Murphy, M O'Driscoll; D O'Callaghan, U O'Callaghan, J Murray.
DUNGANNON: J Bell; J Davis, J Cunningham, Alaister Clarke, T Howe; D Humphreys, S Bell; J Fitzpatrick, Allen Clarke, G Leslie; P Johns, K Walker; A Boyd, T McWhirter, A Hughes.
BECTIVE RANGERS: B Cunningham; D Jackson, D Lyons, R Milliken, R Kearney; J Bresnihan, N Power; J Hannon, J Carvill, J McCaffrey; J Bolger, J Oliver; G Molloy, C Moore, P Hatton.
