Rainey Old Boys RFC currently fields 4 senior men’s teams, a variety of youth teams under the banner of Rainey Rhinos at U18, U16 and U14 age grades and a mini-rugby section called the Rainey Mini Rhinos. Rainey Old Boys Rugby Football Club is situated in the market town of Magherafelt, playing in the Ulster Bank League and competitions across Ulster.
The Rainey Rhinos produce a newsletter called “The Roar!”, which is available to download by clicking here.
Packed with all the information you need to get ready for next season, this is a publication not to be missed.
Further to their club teams there is a rugby school in the town of Magherafelt called Rainey Endowed. From which many players emerge each season.
Chris Campbell is the head coach….. Rainey Endowed School,known colloquially as “The Rainey”, is a voluntary grammar school in Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The school was founded in 1707 and has an enrolment of approximately 700 pupils.
Featuring in the Bank Schools Cup Rainey regularly compete during the schools season fielding many teams and producing a level of talented individuals who can easily compete at all levels of Irish and World Rugby.
Rugby club Team Captains
# Name Position Phone Mobile Phone Number
1 Jody McMurray Club Captain 07708 510549
2 Paul Dillon 2nd XV Captain 07541 036483
3 Conor O’Kane 3rd XV Captain 07742 115442
4 Craig Moore 4th XV Captain 07842 881773
Rugby Club Coaching Staff
# Name Position Phone Mobile Phone Number
1 John Andrews Head Coach 07776 026798
2 Luke Marshall Asst. Coach
3 Damian Campbell 2nd XV Coach 07725 971532
4 Ryan Keating Certified Conditioning Coach 07736 473315
5 Dylan Davies Scrum Coach 07872 500840
6 Simon Derby Medical Team – Physio
History of Rainey Old Boys Rugby Club
Magherafelt R.F.C. was founded in 1928. Some success at minor level came the club’s way before the outbreak of war. A few games were played during the war years and from 1947, the club became known as Rainey Old Boys R.F.C. After initial success, a barren period followed and it was not until the mid-60s that the club began to go places.
Magherafelt RFC circa 1928
Rainey Endowed School, coached by Dawson McConkey, became a power in Ulster and when Dawson joined the Old Boys as player/coach, they rose to the top of the junior ranks with a very talented young side. By the mid-70s, Rainey were the leading side in junior rugby in Ulster, winning most of the major trophies.
In 1982 the club went on tour to the Bahamas and the following year won the Town’s Cup for the first time. On that team were twelve times capped Harry Steele and brother-in-law, Alan McLean, an Ulster regular who toured Australia with Ireland in 1979.
Rainey OB Towns Cup Winners 1983 The President from 1984-1990 was Dr. A.A. McConnell (Bertie), who was a member of Ireland’s Grand Slam side in 1948.
Rainey proved to be a good cup side but were relegated to Section 2 in 1986. They won Section 2 the following year but slipped back down again in 1994 despite reaching the Town’s Cup final for the sixth time in twenty years. With former Ulster lock Charlie Simpson as player/coach, they won the Town’s Cup in 2001 and were promoted as champions the following season.
Former Ballymena No. 8, John Andrews, took over as player/coach when Charlie moved on to Dungannon, and led the side to the Qualifying League 1 title in 2005. In the play-offs they beat Monivea 21-8 at home before losing 14-13 at Naas and 18-17 at Nenagh Ormond.
Having added some strength in depth to the squad, they started the next season by beating Ballymena 2s in the Past Players’ Cup Final. After twelve straight wins in the league, they came unstuck at Armagh on New Year’s Eve but regrouped to beat second placed Limavady 53-3 and retain the title. In the inaugural All-Ireland Junior Cup the luck of the draw helped them to beat Cork side Kanturk 47-9 and South Dublin outfit, Seapoint 31-12 at home. A big crowd travelled south to see them beat Youghal 27-5 at Lansdowne Road in the final on April 8th. Then on successive Saturdays, they beat Westport 36-0 away, Youghal 34-0 and Monkstown 32-16 at home to win the round robin play-offs and clinch their place in the All-Ireland League.
In 2008/09, With South African Rhys Botha as Player/Coach and Andrew Kerr as Captain, Rainey turned in some very promising performances in the Ulster League, beating Ballymena once again at Eaton Park. A fine victory over Instonians at Shaw’s Bridge earned them a home tie against U.C.D. in the second round.
They opened their AIL campaign with a win at Banbridge, but their aspirations of a top four finish disappeared when player after player joined the injured list, including Willem Jacobs, an overseas recruit from South Africa. While their home form was strangely poor, they produced some battling displays at Suttonians, Ards and Sunday’s Well to finish in 10th place.
Richard McCrea was captain for season 2009-2010. Forty-seven players were used as player after player went down injured. Limerick side Old Crescent were visitors in the Cup before the AIL got under way. New Zealander Tony Dodunski picked up an injury within five minutes of his debut and was out for six weeks. Hopes of a top half finish turned to survival and a narrow victory at Portadown proved vital. An unexpected draw at Midleton, who were promoted behind an outstanding Queen’s team, was a timely boost and late season home wins over Instonians and Ards took Rainey up to the thirty point mark and again tenth spot in the table.
Season 2010-2011, with Rodney Paul as captain, was a truly remarkable one. A chronic injury list saw the side struggle in the Ulster League and lose the first four games in Division 3 of the AIL campaign, but the return to fitness of New Zealand scrum-half Peter Sciascia and a host of others kick-started an outstanding run, spoiled only by an intercept try against Nenagh. A record total of 46 points hoisted Rainey up to sixth place.
This run of success continued when Simon Hawe took over as captain. After a great start, a little mid-season sticky patch was to severely dent promotion prospects, but a fine finish earned the club fifth place on 48 points in Div 2B of a restructured AIL. The ability and character of the squad was evident when all-conquering Cashel were extremely fortunate to beat them 20-17 at Spafield on the final day of the campaign. Neil O’Kane was chosen as Player of the Year for the fifth time, while the very popular Peter Sciascia returned home, having given the club many moments to remember.
Season 2012-13 was a memorable one for the club. The Division 2B title was won, with fourteen wins and a draw from fifteen starts. Rainey were the only undefeated side in the AIL and had the best defensive record – Points for: 456, Points Against: 167, Tries scored: 59.
With a number of stalwarts no longer available, several quality replacements were brought on board just in time for the more important business of the AIL and early victories over bogey team Nenagh and likely challengers Barnhall marked Rainey down as one of the teams to watch. Despite losing O’Neill and McCluggage to injury, they topped the table at the mid-season break. An unexpected appearance in the Ulster Cup Final was a pleasant diversion and though they performed poorly on the night against Ballymena, earlier comebacks at Dungannon and Malone showed the character of the side.
Two late tries at Forenaughts gave them a very acceptable 19-19 draw with second-placed Naas and a last gasp try at Suttonians yielded a vital bonus point. They were fortunate to escape with a win at Navan when a succession of injuries completely altered the course of the game, but an outstanding display at the Palace Grounds, where resolute defending and clinical finishing enabled them to beat a good Armagh side 34-8, clinched promotion and with two home fixtures against relegation threatened teams to follow, the title was as good as their’s. Barnhall finished eleven points adrift, while Naas won a play-off at Greystones to claim the third promotion spot.
Coaches – Chris Campbell, Richard Boyd and Dylan Davies. Captain – Neil O’Kane.
Player of the Year – Stewart Simpson. Most Improved Player – Andrew Harbinson.
In readiness for life at a new level in season 2013-2014, some exciting signings were made and a number of very talented school leavers came on board, to leave the club with a strong looking squad. It soon became apparent, however, that a few of the promotion winning squad would, for various reasons, not be available to continue and a season-ending injury to scrum-half Alan McCluggage was a devastating blow.
But, although resources were severely stretched at times, some good early season results in the AIL meant that relegation was never an issue and several young players were given some game time as they remained in the top half of the table for most of the season. But, while the ‘points for’ column made reasonable reading, the ‘points against’ tally gave cause for concern. Two disappointing defeats at Donnybrook and a difficult finish to the programme saw Rainey slip down to tenth place.
The highlight of the season was, undoubtedly, a tremendous comeback victory against all the odds at high-flying Ulster Senior Cup winners Queen’s. The opening of the Bobby Henderson Fitness Suite and the completion of the Council’s new 3G pitches were significant additions to the already impressive facilities at Hatrick Park. Paddy McGowan was chosen as Player of the Year.
Club Officers
# Name Position Phone Mobile Phone Number
1 Patrick Pyper Club President 07971 092991
2 Brian Wilson Club Vice-President
3 Ian Gillespie Honorary Secretary 028 86766558 07752 115161
4 Davey Young Treasurer 07716 947578
5 Brian Smyth Finance Convenor 07816 778355
6 John Andrews Director of Rugby 07776 026798
7 Arnie McLean Rugby Committee Chairman 07921 491686
8 Joyce Henderson House Convenor 028 79642731 07889 262205
9 Clifford Barr Public Relations Secretary 028 79631485
10 Stephen Fields Match Secretary & Grounds Convenor 07966 240070
11 Oliver McShane Health & Safety Officer 07968 341251
12 Graffin Parke Ulster Branch Rep 028 79631825 07802 802050
13 Heather Thornton Mini/Maxi Convenor 07825 141758
14 Geraint Evans Youth Co-Ordinator 07912 074680
15 Nigel Gillespie Match Day Officer 07746 242137
16 David Hall Website Convenor 07816 236843
17 David Young Safeguarding Officer 07716 947578
Contacts
Address: Rainey Old Boys RFC, Hatrick Park, 7 Meadowbank Rd, Ballyronan Rd
Magherafelt, BT45, Clubhouse Tel +44 (28) 79633302
Current status
Rainey Old Boys finished 10th in AIB Division Three in the 2008-09 season.
Rainey Old Boys finished 10th again in AIB Division Three in the 2009-10 season and 6th in AIB Division Three in the 2010-11 season.
The following season they narrowly missed out on promotion to AIB Division 2A, coming 5th in the 2011-12 season. Finishing 4 points behind second place and promotion.
In the 2012-13 they won AIB Division 2B, going undefeated in the league the whole season, winning 14 and drawing 1. Having scored more points, as well as conceding less, than any other team in the whole All-Ireland League, they gained promotion in some style. In what was to be the most successful season in the clubs history, they also reached the final of the Ulster Senior Cup against all the odds, knocking out giants of ulster rugby Dungannon R.F.C. and Malone R.F.C., both away from home, en route to Ravenhill.
Honours
Ulster Towns Cup: 2 1982-83, 2000–01
Ulster Junior Cup: 2 1975-76, 1978-79
Internationals
Dr A.A McConnell – Ireland
Nathan Amos – Israel Israel
Harry Steele – Ireland
Stephen McKinstry – (Ireland Under 19s)
Stephen Beattie – United States United States Under 19s
Michael Glancy – (Ireland Under 21s)
Connor Lavery – (Ireland Under 19s)
Pic below, the Boston tour 1988!
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