In what must constitute a unique case of its kind in Irish rugby, Terenure College RFC and the adjoining school are developing gymnasium and all-weather training facilities at a cost of £370,000, to be completed this autumn.
The plans include the building of a new 20x12 metre gym on the school grounds (providing indoor line-out and scrummaging facilities), along with a four-lane 80 metre running track, a 40x35m floodlit all-weather training area and long jump/pole vault area. This will augment the existing 10 rugby pitches.
The development is the brainchild of Des Thornton, a PE teacher and rugby coach at the school as well as a prominent member of the club. "The main benefit of these facilities will be not having to go out in bad weather. But the modern game also requires players to be athletes, so you're training guys to be fit as well as to play rugby," he explained.
"The facilities will also help us in endeavouring to hold on to the players from the school," said the club's chairman of rugby, Barry Coleman.
The club have decided on a policy of not paying players who are already on Leinster or Irish contracts, the message being that henceforth they intend to nurture and develop their best players for representative rugby, where the rewards are greater. To this end, they have set up an academy within the club for 10 players from the last three senior cup years in the school. "
The school will also be employing a full-time fitness consultant, Alan Ryan, who is a former pupil and sports science graduate from Strawberry Hill in London.
