HOME AND AWAY MIKE RUDDOCK: GAVIN CUMMISKEYlistens as the former Wales coach explains how his sons have ended up on the Ireland under-21s and what it means to him

MIKE RUDDOCK is the father in this tale; a wandering rugby minstrel who married a woman from Stillorgan by the name of Bernadette Wymer many moons ago. Much of Ruddock’s early coaching education took place in Dublin with Bective Rangers RFC before returning as Leinster’s first full-time coach from 1997 to 2000, when his two sons attended Blackrock College primary school Willow Park.

Rhys was born in Dublin during that brief yet memorable Bective season, older brother Ciarán arriving a year earlier when the family were still based in Wales.

Having slipped through cracks in the Welsh system, the Ruddock brothers are part of the current Irish under-20s team that seeks a second championship title in three years at Parc Y Scarlets on Friday night.

Having stood tall against bullying French, Italian and particularly the English packs, hopes of a Grand Slam crumbled in Perth last weekend after a 32-20 defeat to Scotland.

Mike Ruddock’s career was curtailed aged just 26 after falling off a ladder, and fracturing his skull, while working for the Welsh Electricity Supply Board. Conceding he was “too slow” for full international level anyway, despite featuring in the Wales A backrow, coaching was always his calling and he is credited with the early development of the current Leinster crop, with a special mention for men like Kurt McQuilkin, Reggie Corrigan, Liam Toland and, of course, Trevor Brennan.

In 2005 Ruddock guided Wales to their first Grand Slam since 1978.

That job ended in plenty of recrimination months later, Ruddock kept his own counsel but when does a national coach ever get a clean getaway? Now director of rugby at the Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership, a few nuggets of information have yet to be revealed about his Irish roots.

Bernadette Ruddock was one of eight children, many still based in the south Dublin suburbs, where the Ruddock boys can use as a temporary home in the short interim between a return to camp and a trip to Llanelli, while Allen Clarke’s ever-improving squad also have the Junior World Cup to look forward to in Japan this summer.

“I think they will be under the microscope especially being back in Wales,” admits Ruddock. “Obviously, I’m biased here but they are level-headed guys with good values. I have always encouraged them to live up to certain standards and I’m sure they will do that and just try and be as professional as they can down in Wales, in what will be difficult circumstances.”

The Ruddock brothers are partially cut from Munster granite, unsurprising when you see them in action. Mike’s mother, Margaret Carroll, left Co Clare aged 15.

A false presumption is that the brothers failed to make the grade in Wales; a rugby nation streets ahead of Ireland in development and identification of underage talent.

Granted, Ciarán didn’t make the under-16 and under-18 Welsh squads, leading him to link up with the Irish under-19s last season after being spotted by John Hunter, the IRFU man in Britain, but he captained the Ospreys under-20s this season.

Convincing Rhys to choose green over red is partially down to an ankle injury that ruled him out of the Welsh under-18 fixture with France last season, coupled with the feel-good vibe he discovered when following Ciarán into the current set-up.

“Rhys has had a lot of success in the Welsh system. He joined the Ospreys at under-16, played Wales under-16 a year young and captained them the next season.”

Getting both brothers represents a serious coup for Irish rugby, especially after the London Irish contingent of Declan Danaher, Nick Kennedy and most notably Shane Geraghty all declared for England.

A situation not helped by the exile of Bob Casey during the Eddie O’Sullivan era.

The battle for the Ruddocks’s allegiance appears to be won (“having seen them going through the recent experience I’d be very surprised if they didn’t feel they were Irish.”) but until the brothers are capped at sevens or A level they can declare for either nation.

Attracting them into the provincial set-up would go a long way to ruling out such a possibility and Ciarán does seem primed to join Leinster but the Ospreys are not prepared to let Rhys slip through their fingers after several years nurturing his unquestioned power. That he remains a schoolboy at Millfield means he has yet to sign professional terms.

“Rhys hadn’t really thought of playing for Ireland but there was quite a bit of interest shown by Leinster and Allen Clarke was also keen to look at him, having made contact with me as well,” says Ruddock senior.

“So, what I said is ‘You have a big decision about your first professional contract. The Irish set-up or plough on with the Ospreys.’ He went over and I didn’t hear from him for three days, he trained with the Irish squad. I couldn’t get hold of him on the phone so that was an encouraging sign.

“When I spoke to him he said he loved the boys, loved the environment, loved the set-up and wanted to play for Ireland. I told him to sleep on it because he needed to ring the Welsh coach (Phil Davies) and tell him the decision, at that stage he had been left out of the Welsh under-20s squad but was named as first reserve. He slept on it and felt the same the next day, rang the Welsh coach and told him he had elected to play for Ireland. He hasn’t looked back since.”

The blindside flank of Irish rugby is better for it.

Naturally, keen to deflect the focus, Ruddock pays tribute to other players in the Irish team like outhalf Ian Madigan and captain Peter O’Mahony. But for Mike, Bernadette and sister Katie a special family odyssey continues this Friday.

“I’m very proud of my Irish roots even though I was born in Wales.

“I was lucky enough to coach the Welsh national team but there is a huge part of me that feels Irish as well. I have a huge affinity with the Irish people so for the two lads to play for the 20s together means the Irishness is growing stronger than ever.

“It is really important for any parent to see their kids doing something they enjoy and love and are passionate about. This is what’s happening at the moment.”