SPEAK TO MEMBERS of Lansdowne FC’s senior set-up and you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’re chatting to professional rugby players.
Gym work, pitch sessions, video analysis, physio, prehab, rehab, disciplined nutrition and a wide-ranging playbook; all of those are traits they share with pro athletes.
It’s a similar situation at many other clubs, including tomorrow’s Ulster Bank League Division 1A opponents Clontarf, but Lansdowne’s reputation as being incredibly diligent in their preparation is well-earned.
With six members of the Leinster academy in their ranks in Tom Farrell, Tadgh Beirne, Tom Daly, Ian Fitzpatrick, Cian Kelleher and Peter Dooley, as well as a host of Ireland Club internationals and Munster A and Leinster A-capped players, it’s hardly a surprise.
Craig Ronaldson and Matt Healy have earned pro deals at Connacht in recent years on account of their performances in the AIL with Lansdowne, while the likes of Marty Moore, Jordi Murphy and Jack O’Connell have also passed through the first team.
They face a demanding task against reigning champions Clontarf in tomorrow’s final, but as they look to reclaim the title they won for the first time in 2013, Lansdowne will take mental strength from knowing their preparation all season has been of the highest quality.
Former Grand Slam-winning coach Mike Ruddock has overseen much of the growth in recent seasons, while the likes of Director of Rugby Steve Rooney have also been doing excellent work behind the scenes.
Club captain and number eight Ron Boucher, who will make his 134th Ulster Bank League appearance tomorrow, has been an equally important part as Lansdowne have developed.
Boucher was on hand this week to give insight into Lansdowne’s professional approach.
“It’s been particularly [strong] since Mike’s come in and our strength and conditioning guy, Ciaran Walsh, has come in,” said Boucher. “We’ve a physio there every Tuesday and Thursday and beyond that if we need it.
“Just the whole attitude as well: we get our gym work done, pitch sessions are all planned in advance. When I started, it would have been two-hour video sessions where you’re watching the whole tape, whereas now it’s cut down to 15 minutes max. of short clips.
“It’s that emphasis on the detail and that’s a selling point for the club when we go out and approach guys coming out of school, that it’s as close to a professional set-up as you can get in the club game.
“We’ve managed to produce guys that have gone on to the professional level over the last few years like Craig and Matt. They’ve gone on to thrive at that level, they’re not just making up the numbers. It’s great to be involved at a level like that and it’s great for the club to be able to show that and keep evolving, keep getting better.”
The effort is twice-fold for men like Boucher, who works as a corporate lawyer with Dublin legal firm Matheson, given that he has to find the balance between rugby and his working and social lives.
Much is made of the sacrifice GAA amateurs make on an annual basis, and deservedly so, but Boucher leads a similarly hectic life. With player payments having been banned in the AIL, there is no monetary reward for his time.
Not that Boucher is complaining.
“That’s my position at the moment and it’s a struggle to balance. It’s just about managing your time. There’s maybe four or five guys who are in in the mornings before work doing their gym work and then the pitch sessions after work.
“At the same time, there’s a lot of students here who are doing 14 hours a week in college! So it’s a nice balance, but there is that element of guys pursuing careers and also making a real effort to perform at the top amateur level.”
And that’s exactly what Division 1A remains: the top amateur level. Head coach Ruddock had a timely reminder of that very fact this week as Lansdowne’s preparations for the final were hit by absences.
The former Ireland U20 coach underlines that “it’s fantastically important” that his players have embraced such a professional mindset, but he still has to deal with outside factors sometimes getting in the way of his plans.
Lansdowne’s Leinster-attached players are often limited in their training-ground involvement, while others have lives to lead.
“People say it’s a bit of a pro set-up, but of course we sometimes don’t get our players until Thursday night,” said Ruddock. “Take this week and it’s been difficult in terms of prep, boys are all doing exams, boys can’t make training this week because it’s exam week.
“So really we haven’t got a whole lot of work done in the early part of the week, that’s not an excuse though. We’ve had all season with them, so it’s not a problem. In a pro set-up, you can control all those factors and I can put the prep in exactly how I want it.
“What this week has reminded us is that we’re still an amateur team. I was hoping to train on Monday, but I had guys away at weddings, guys away doing exams and prepping for that. But look, it’s not a problem and it’s refreshing as well.”
Long live amateur rugby, especially when Lansdowne, Clontarf and a host of other clubs are taking it to these new and exciting levels.
