Navan Take The Spoils In ‘Brú Na Boinne’
Brú Na Boinne, the annual rugby festival involving club teams from Boyne RFC and Navan RFC, has now become a very successful occasion in the rugby calendars of both clubs who are situated on the river Boyne.
Brú Na Boinne sees every age category in the respective clubs take to the pitch and the enjoyment that the event gives to those on the pitch and off it is phenomenal.
From early morning on Saturday, preparations were in progress at Shamrock Lodge, the home ground of Boyne RFC. Tournament director Ian O’Reilly made sure matters ran like clockwork from 9am until proceedings ended at 8pm that evening.
Hundreds of children were facilitated during the morning with a non-competitive minis blitz, seeing children from 7 up to 12 years of age play each other.
Between parents and children the grounds were completely taken over and with glorious weather conditions prevailing for the day, things got off to a marvellous start.
The children certainly enjoyed themselves during the games and there were plenty of goodies off the pitch to keep them happy as well.
From midday onwards both sides played 15-a-side rugby and the festival really ‘kicked in’ in earnest with each club going all out for the aggregate results that would determine the overall winner of the ‘Battle of the Boyne’ at the end of the day.
There was some fantastic rugby played at all levels and apart from one result, which saw a runaway win for Navan, the matches were all close and well-contested.
While this is a novel tournament, spawned by a South African, Leon Jordaan, and a New Zealander, Craig McGrath, it certainly gives great impetus to the start of the season for both clubs.
It gets all of the memberships of both clubs involved and the spirit of rugby is very much to the fore throughout the whole day.
Another poignant factor of the day was reflected in the flying of the Ulster flag at half mast in memory of the late Nevin Spence, whose memory was also respected with a minute’s silence prior to the final match of the day between the clubs’ senior teams.
At the end of the day, Navan RFC were the victors and received the Ceremonial Sword to mark their achievement of winning rugby’s ‘Battle of the Boyne’.
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