Old Belvedere
| Full name | Old Belvedere Rugby Football Club |
|---|---|
| Union |
IRFU Leinster |
| Nickname(s) | Belvo |
| Founded | 1930 |
| Ground(s) | Anglesea Road, Ballsbridge (Capacity: ~1000) |
| Chairman | Karl Croke |
| President | Willie Norse |
| Coach(es) | Paul Cunningham, Andrew Dunne |
| Captain(s) | John Kennedy |
| League(s) | All-Ireland League, 1A |
| Official website | |
| www |
|
Old Belvedere is a senior rugby club in Dublin, Ireland, based at Anglesea Road and playing in Division 1A of the All-Ireland League. Old Belvedere R.F.C. was founded in 1930. Originally an exclusive club for past pupils of Belvedere College the club became 'open' to all players on 22 April 1976.
In March 1948, Karl Mullen, as captain and hooker, led Ireland to unprecedented heights, when not only the Triple Crown and Championship were won, but also for the first time in Irish rugby history, the Grand Slam was won. Also in the Ireland pack was Des O’Brien who accumulated 20 Ireland caps in his career. In March 1949, again under Mullen’s captaincy the Triple Crown was retained.
In 1955, Tony O'Reilly, less than 12 months after playing in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup Final against Blackrock College, and then a member of Old Belvedere R.F.C., won his first international cap. A remarkable career had commenced which was to cover 16 seasons in international terms and embrace two Lions tours and 29 caps.
Following his outstanding 1979 performances for Ireland in Australia, Ollie Campbell at outhalf orchestrated Ireland’s Triple Crown win in 1982. Campbell also featured on Lions' selections, on tours of South Africa and New Zealand, and was Old Belvedere’s captain in the club’s jubilee year.
In the period 1940 to 1946 Old Belvedere R.F.C., won the Leinster Senior Cup in seven successive seasons - a feat that remains unequalled - and was narrowly beaten in the final the following season.
In the season 1992/93 the First XV, captained by Mervyn Feely, coached by Donal Spring, and with former All Black scrum half Bruce Deans making a significant contribution, won the Leinster League. That win ensured the club a place in the All Ireland League Division 2 for the season 1993/1994. In season 1994/1995, the club progressed further, and ended top of A.I.L. Division 2, thus earning promotion to Division 1 of the All Ireland League. That team was again coached by Donal Spring, but now had Gareth Dinneen as captain, and featured Neil Francis in the 2nd row, (who in his career as a player with Blackrock College, London Irish, and Old Belvedere, accumulated 35 Ireland Caps). The Club enjoyed Division 1 status for three years thereafter, and now seeks to emulate that achievement by again securing Promotion from Division 2 to Division 1. In 2000, the Club’s youthful First Team Squad won the Leinster Championship, and in the season 2001/2002, club members Andrew Dunne and Simon Keogh contributed to Leinster’s victory in the inaugural Celtic League, and Henry Bourke was a member of the Connacht Squad.
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Wikipedia