NOW IS the time to finally make some comparisons. For the past few weeks, since Blackrock began this journey by handing respectable opposition like CBC Monkstown and St Michael’s crushing defeats, the parallels with the 1996 Dream Team have been made by many watching the Powerade Leinster Schools’ Cup on Setanta Sports.
The tournament wasn’t afforded the platform of television 13 years ago but considering the 1996 team, led by Barry Gibney, made up most of the winning 1995 side, also captained by Gibney, the public had two seasons of that special group.
The hooker and vice-captain in both campaigns was Peter Smyth, who went on to play for Leinster and Rotherham, in England, before injury curtailed a hugely promising career. Now coach of St Mary’s RFC while also overseeing this Blackrock pack, Smyth is ideally placed to draw comparisons with the greatest side to come through the Williamstown halls in its 150-year history.
“I definitely think they are right up there. It’s kind of hard to tell. It’s really how a lot of them go on after. Whether a lot of them go on to the professional ranks, but no one will argue with the results they got in this cup. They did win the cup and won it well. Obviously Belvo (in semi-final) was a bit of a scare but to win a final by two scores is always a tremendous achievement at this level.”
For the record, nine of the 1996 squad went on to play professional rugby, five were capped and the replacement scrumhalf captained the British and Irish Lions in 2005.
It would be a huge surprise if the current leader, Jordi Murphy (surely as a flanker), the seemingly effortless running of Andrew Conway and powerful centre Brendan Macken do not make an impact in the professional ranks. There are others from yesterday, like Terenure outhalf James Thornton, who showed the talent and mental fortitude to reappear in the men’s game.
Yesterday, however, was an example of how this game should be played with Terenure’s territorial approach forcing Blackrock to dig into their reserves. The increased physicality they produced was typified by Macken and particularly Murphy’s relentless energy in defence and at the breakdown.
“The last game against Belvedere really helped us,” said Murphy. “That really brought us back down to earth. It was a close call and we realised we weren’t physical enough and maybe we were thinking too far ahead, like, we were winners already but we put in a lot of hard work in the last two weeks to harden up and I think we did well today.”
The philosophy is undeniable and after Belvedere grinded their way to the title in 2008, expansive rugby is king in Leinster for 2009. “I knew there was always something a bit different about them,” adds Smyth. “Just the way they play. I come from the club background, which is more about slowing it down and playing territory, but all these guys want to do the whole time is play the game. Their skill level, I noticed straight away, meant they could be capable of something special. It’s just great that they got it done on the day.”
