Longford RFC News 07122020   07/12/2020

By Tommy Butler Longford RFC PRO lrfconnects@gmail.com 

Thank You

A big thank you to all our members and friends that bought tickets for the IRFU Your Club Your Country raffle.  We managed to raise nearly €7500 in less than 6 days, which is phenomenal for a club of our size.  Like all clubs we have been hit very hard by Covid and have been unable to fundraise as normal.  Unfortunately, there are lots of costs which still have to be paid even during lockdowns like insurance, heat, electricity and loans but thanks to your generosity we can keep going until hopefully we get back doing what we love, which is watching and playing rugby.  The draw takes place on Monday December 7th, so hopefully one of our members who bought a ticket will be among the lucky few.  Even during the Covid restrictions we have been pushing on in Longford RFC, with work starting on our new state of the art 3G artificial pitch, which will be opening in 2021 with works under way at the moment.  Thanks again, we all look forward to welcoming you to CPL Park when underage and Senior rugby are back playing games.

Senior Rugby Match/Training Update

We finally have some good news, with the relaxing of restrictions Senior Rugby training can resume this week albeit with extra restrictions and Covid safety measures.  We look forward to seeing all our Senior players back on the pitch Tuesday/Friday nights at 7.30 (Women) and 7.45pm (Men).  Below Senior Men’s Head Coach Glenn Baskett gives his thoughts on the current state of affairs; 


“So, after a 6 week break due to Government restrictions, we finally got back out training this week. To get the boys back out is a step forward, but now we really need something to aim for. Under the current restrictions we still aren’t allowed to contact train. However, the lack of clarity around a return to games makes it very difficult to build a season. We will need a minimum of 2 weeks contact training, ideally 3. And Leinster & the IRFU are mooting a return to games after 9 January 21, but as we can’t contact train in Level 3, I honestly don’t see how this will be workable. Someone needs to stand up and ask questions of how we are meant to move forward and complete a meaningful season. There are talks of restructured league and cup comps, but I know as a group we are of the opinion a league comp with no promotion or relegation holds no interest for us, whereas a meaningful cup comp is achievable if the will from the powers that be is there. We have put a in a huge amount of work pre-season and now we are trying to get guys back up to where we were after being stopped for 6 weeks. We were doing individual work in that time but that isn’t time on the pitch. If there really is going to be a season to salvage here a decision needs to be made before xmas on what shape that will take. We have a 6 session block for December planned, and we are giving the boys the full xmas week off, something we normally wouldn’t do in mid-season, but we have to give guys a bit of a break to spend time with family after all that’s happened this year. I have talked to some of our group and the desire to play in what will essentially be a cluster of friendlies holds no interest to them with promotion removed. Leinster have looked for submissions from the clubs as to how we believe the season can be structured, those submissions are due by 14 December, so I really hope we have some clarity on this shortly after that date, but to achieve a meaningful season this will require someone in power the Sport Ireland level to make a brave call, if that will isn’t there I just don’t see how a positive season is achievable. I mean for me the frustrating thing is we are meant to be “living with Covid’, this is not living with Covid, this is hiding from Covid. And if this is the thinking then let’s draw a line through the season now. If that is done, it could do real damage to the club game nationally but this is the road we have gone down unfortunately. I believe we should scrap the league comp now, restructure the cup comp into a champions league style format with group games leading into knockout games after that, it brings a real goal for the boys and something to show for your years’ work. Let’s see what the will is.”


Ireland/Leinster

Ireland finished off their inaugural Nations Cups campaign with a fairly emphatic win versus an in form Scotland side who only lost one of their previous six matches coming into the game 31-16.  The win coupled with the wins over Wales definitely solidifies Ireland status as the best of the rest behind France and England, who played out the final on Sunday with England winning in sudden death.  Johnny Sexton was adamant after the game that the players/management feel they are going in the right direction and that are ready to mix it up again with the big guns like England, France, South Africa and New Zealand.  The jury is definitely out on this and the majority of fans and pundits will be waiting for the conclusion 2021 Six Nations to pass final judgement.  Kick off of the competition is now only eight weeks away with Ireland travelling to face Wales on Sunday February 7th.  2021 is the year in which Ireland welcome England and France to the Aviva with Wales, Scotland and Italy away.  There were definitely some signs of progress especially versus Scotland but I think many fans will remain unconvinced unless Ireland can vanquish either France or England in their Six Nations campaign while overcoming Italy and their Celtic cousins.

Some real positives from the Autumn test window was that 11 new players were capped, Farrell et al got extended access to his players and some players have really stepped up, none more so than Caelan Doris who would seem to be nailed on at No.8 now and recently also Peter O’Mahony who provided plenty of dog in the Irish pack.  A big mention to Andrew Porter who in the absence of Tadhg Furlong and Dave Kilcoyne started every game and nearly finished every match and Hugo Keenan who looks like a very solid test player.  A lot of questions still need to be answered at hooker and at out half for Ireland to move forward but certainly the win against Scotland allows Ireland to go into the Six Nations in with glass seeming half full rather than empty outlook.

Over now to the Champions Cup where a lot of Ireland players will be asked to put in more miles.  Certainly, it is highly unlikely that the Christmas interpros are going to feature many of the Ireland players who played in the Autumn window.

Leinster Pro-14 Fixtures
Munster v Leinster, Saturday, December 26th, Thomond Park, 7.35pm 

Leinster v Connacht, Saturday, January 2nd, RDS, 7.35pm

Champions Cup

Montpellier v Leinster, December 12th, GGL (Altrad) Stadium, 6.30pm

Leinster v Northampton, December 19th, RDS, 1.00pm

Northampton v Leinster, January 15th, Franklins Gardens, 5.30pm

Leinster v Montpellier, January 22nd, RDS, 5.30pm

Longford U18s Hard at Work in Training

Great news: Underage rugby continues

One of the few rays of light during the Level 5 restrictions was that training continued for all underage teams.  Thanks to the dedication to all our Officers, Coaches and Parents for keeping the show safely on the road.  Obviously with restrictions starting to relax training can continue.  However, at the moment there is no news on when matches might restart.  For the moment our players will keep working on their skills and fitness and look forward to taking the pitch again soon.   

Minis (Boys/Girls)

U6-U12 Sundays 10.30am-12.00pm.

Boys

U13 Wednesday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2008)
U14 Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2007)
U15 Mon 7.00-8.30pm and Thursday 7.00-8.30pm (born 2006)
U16 Tuesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2005)
U17 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2004)
U18 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm (born 2003 & up to 01/07/2002)

Girls
U12&U14 Thursday 7.30-8.30pm
U16&U18 Wednesday 7.30-9.00pm

Contact 0862526741 for more information.
Longford Rugby Club is a 'Minimum20' club. Youth teams up to U15 promote minimum 20 minutes game time for all players on match day squads. Longford Minis rugby promotes equal game time at all times during games or blitz events.

The Sin Bin

The Sin Bin Bar & Restaurant at Longford RFC is back open with Covid 19 measures in place.  It offers great social distancing in LRFCs spacious and modern clubhouse. It offers a welcoming atmosphere, great food and drink and is the perfect place for members and friends to hold functions/events with lots of free parking and is just outside Longford Town. As of July 2020, it is now under the management of Andrew Reynolds who is a very experienced operator in the food/beverage area.

There has been very positive feedback on the great food being served all in a Covid 19 compliant setting with lots of social distancing between tables.

For reservations and enquiries about functions/events, please ring Andrew on 087 3464914.
Food is served at lunchtime from 12-4 Wednesday to Sunday and dinner Friday to Sunday from 5 PM. Please like and follow the Sin Bins Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/thesinbinlongford/ for updates and specials.













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