Rugby (Ladies)

NUIG Womens Rugby
Join the NUIG women's rugby team for the new competitive season which kicks off in September. Newcomers are welcome at any time and no previous playing experience is necessary!

History

NUIG RFC was established in 1873 as UCG Rugby Club and was a founding member of the IRFU in 1874. The women’s team was started in 2002 with the arrival of rugby development office Jim Herring. We have now a dedicated player’s base from the college with a large international contingent of players, and we continue to welcome new players throughout the season with or without experience.

2004 was a very successful year with the women’s team competing in their first official match against Sligo I.T. in February, which ended in a draw. After a long and stressful organisational period the NUIG women hosted one of the most successful intervarsities competitions on the 31st of March in Dangan sports grounds. Eight teams from around the country competed, the most teams to enter the competition at that point.

In 2004 and 2005 the NUIG Ladies competed for the first time in the I.S.S.A. College’s League. This was a major stepping stone for the club, as was the appointment of coach ex Irish international Stephanie Dowling-Folan.

The start of the 2005 season saw the appointment of a new dedicated coaching team consisting of Sineád Cosgrave, Wendy Hickey and Caroline Pryce. Sinead Cosgrave is an ex Irish international and has also represented Connaught and Galwegians along with Wendy Hickey and Caroline Pryce. Wendy Hickey is also a development officer for the IRFU.

Sinead Cosgrave continued with the team until 2010, taking a well earned sabbatical having led them to their first varsity championship final. Simon Lawless and Darragh Keady took over from Cosgrave the following season, leading the squad to yet another Connacht League Final in March 2011.

Following Keady’s Austrailian bound departure, he was replaced with New Zealand native Luke O’Donnell. Lawless and O’Donnell’s cemistry worked well as they brought their team to the Connacht League Semi-Final and CUSAI Final in the 2012-2013 season.

The season of 2013-2014 saw success for the women's side when in their first time competing in the IURU Kay Bowen Cup, the girls walked away with silverware having kept a clean sheet throughout the competition.

Continuing on from the success of the previous season the ladies side retained the Kay Bowen Cup and added to the silverware collection in winning the Connacht Invitational Shield (with a conbined side of Galwegians 2nds and Tuam).

2016 was the most successful year in the history of the women's club, as the girls went on to complete a clean sweep in all competitions the took part in. Retaining Kay Bowen for the third consecutive year meant the girls had a taste for silverware from the outset. With  a large number of new girls on the scene NUIG continued to take the spoils, defeating the best teams in Connacht to win the League title whilst also competing at the highest level in the university competitions to bring home both the SSI Intervarsity Cup and the Division One College's Cup. 

Achievements

2015/2016- SSI All Ireland Division 1 colleges champions

2015/2016- Connacht league champions 

2015/2016- intervarsity champions 

2015/2016- Kay Bowen Cup champions

2014/2015-IURU Intervarsity Kay Bowen Cup; Connacht Invitational Shield Champions.

2013/2014 - IURU Intervarsity Kay Bowen Cup; Connacht Colleges 7s Tournament

2012/2013 - Intervarsity Tournament Finalists; Connacht Women's Development League Semi-Finalists

2010/2011 - Connacht Women's Development League Finalists

2009/2010 - Intervarsity Tournament Finalists; Connacht Women's Development League Finalists

2008/2009 - Connacht Women's Development League Champions

2007/2008 - Connacht Women's Development League Finalists

2006/2007 - College League Finalists (Division 1)

Intervarsities

2013/2014: NUIG came third in Division 1 Intervarsities hosted by UCC.

2012/2013: NUIG missed out in competing this year.

2011/2012: NUIG hosted 2012 Intervarsities.