Exiles In Opposition In Schools Competition : Irish Rugby

They will be joined by four other Exiles, which will make for an excellent representation in the semi-final of the biggest rugby cup tournament in Britain.

The captain of Barnard Castle is Sean Dougall, last season's Ireland Under-18 flanker and a member to date of this year's Under-19 training squad. He is also an Academy player at Leeds Carnegie and Methodist College pupils of yesteryear will remember his father Gregor playing on the wing.

The captain of St. Benedict's is Rowan Halsall, the former England Under-16 flanker and current London Wasps Academy player. Rowan's father Peter is, of course, the Exiles' head coach.

St. Benedict's had a visit at their final training session from Keith Wood, who is pictured with (l-r): centre Jack Dever, winger Daniel Porter, centre James Stephenson, hooker Charlie Allum and flanker and captain Rowan Halsall.

- Photo courtesy of Keith Brown

IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne spoke to Irish Rugby TV about the Union's 2016/17 Annual Report, which includes increased investment in Women's rugby and addresses the challenges of funding for the game in Ireland.

The launch of a commemorative stamp to mark the Women's Rugby World Cup in Ireland was a special day for Women's rugby, team captain Niamh Briggs and her family. We spoke to her and her dad Mike at the GPO.

Marie Louise Reilly joined her Ireland team-mates Nora Stapleton and Lindsay Peat at a recent Dublin City Council event in support of the upcoming Women's Rugby World Cup. Reilly, who works as a DCC Sports Officer, said: "The team are coming together really well, we're working hard and hopefully August will be really memorable not just for us but for the whole country."