Bru Na Boinne – Boyne v Navan Festival Of Rugby
Boyne and Navan have now established an annual feast of rugby which features every team in their respective clubs in what has now become the annual fixture called, ‘Bru Na Boinne’.
This Saturday it is the turn of Shamrock Lodge, the home of Boyne Rugby Club, to host the event and from 10am until 8pm the ground will feature rugby football for all ages and will also feature girls rugby.
Ironically it was two ‘foreigners’ who spawned this very novel event. Boyne coach Craig McGrath and Navan coach Leon Jordaan came up with the idea of all the teams from both clubs competing against each other in a festival of rugby, with the winners being assessed on the results of all the games played throughout the day.
The festival then acquired the name of ‘Bru Na Boinne’ because of both clubs’ proximity to the famous river.
Last year proved to be a huge success when the inaugural event took place in Balreask Old, the home of Navan RFC.
This year Drogheda will stage the day’s festival of rugby and Boyne will be hoping to turn the tables and win the ‘Bru Na Boinne’ for the first time.
The timetable of games in their various categories is as follows:
– The mini blitz will commence the day’s proceedings on pitches number 1 and 2 at 10am until 12pm
– The youths will commence their games on pitch number 1 at 12pm with the Under-14s in action
– The girls will then take over at 1pm when they take to the field
– Up next on pitch number 1 will be the Boyne Junior 1 side who face Navan in the Leinster League at 2pm
– The Under-13s will play next at 3.30pm on pitch number 1
– The big match of the day will then finish off games on pitch number 1 when the Boyne and Navan seniors play each other in the Leinster Senior League Shield at 5pm
– There is also a busy schedule for pitch number 2 where the Under-15s commence the games on this pitch at 12pm
– This match will then be followed by Boyne J3s taking on Navan at 1pm. The Under-19s will take to pitch number 2 for their game at 2.45pm
– The last game of the day on pitch number 2 will be played by the Under-17s at 4.30pm