Rugby returns to UCD as Leinster to begin training again

Leinster rugby will begin training at their High-Performance Centre (HPC) on University College Dublin’s (UCD’s) Bellfield campus on Monday, after players had undergone testing earlier this week. As part of the return to play protocols set out by the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the HPC at UCD has been outfitted with the required infrastructure to facilitate a safe return to training, for restricted training sessions.

Leinster and Munster will begin training again at their respective HPCs on Monday 22 June, with Connacht and Ulster returning to training a week later on Monday 29 June. The National Men’s and Women’s Sevens squads are due back in training from Monday 6 July.

Newry-based tech central to Premier League’s ‘Project Restart’

The Premier league is scheduled to get back to action today, partially thanks to the input and support of Newry-based firm, STATSports. The firm supplied performance analysis equipment and services to eleven top-flight clubs including Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal.

STATSports technology has strong links with UCD, as it is used by Leinster Rugby at their UCD base to monitor training and performance, as well as assisted many of UCD’s elite athletes in training and performance, notably the plethora of UCD alumni and current students who have worn the Irish rugby shirt in recent years.

O’Neills growth due to strong leadership from within

Ireland’s biggest sportswear manufacturer has switched up their operations in order to provide much needed Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. O’Neills International Sportswear are now assisting Ireland’s essential frontline workers on both sides of the border.

Ordinarily, O’Neills produce sportswear for much of Ireland’s sporting codes and teams, making their diversification a reflection of a society collaborating to overcome a common foe: Covid-19. In this case, in the words of their slogan, O’Neills are proving themselves to be ‘The Choice of Champions’.