Newbridge RFC has been busy over the close season with works starting on a revamp of the club’s Rosetown ground…
After a season weighing up a plan to move to new facilities in partnership with other sports clubs, it was eventually decided to stay put and re-develop the existing clubhouse and pitches. The plan is to rebuild the playing surface and add an extra pitch by changing the re-alignment with the first phase finished in the coming weeks. It includes new lighting to allow night games.
The €;400,000 for the initial phase has come through a fund-raising plan and Lottery grants organised over the last three years.
As sponsorship deals get thinner the club has been developing ways to add value to membership fees with a local shoppers’ discount card. Local businesses have been enthusiastic in signing up with some offering 40 per cent discounts to Newbridge members.
With three men’s teams, a ladies’ team competing in the AIL and the full catalogue of underage sides from Under-21 down to minis, Newbridge is taking full advantage of the boom in popularity of the game thanks to the success of Leinster and Ireland.
The club has, to date, been fortunate enough to avail of the Defence Force facilities at the Green Road and the playing fields at Newbridge College to cater for the overflow. “Their generosity has been fantastic but we expect to call of them forever,” said club Chairman Aidan Feighan. “It’s important we get the facilities in Rosetown up to the standard that matches our ambitions,” he added.
Training sessions in August have seen over 90 adult players taking part under the watchful eye of new coach Dave Mahon. Playing in the new Division 1 Leinster league this season the men’s first XV will hopefully benefit from the return of a number of players to the Newbridge fold, including prop Mark Sothern for Waterpark.
The club’s successful Under-21s squad will be looking to build on their good performance in last year’s JP Fanagan with former Irish Youths player Richie Larkin, assisted by Robert Meighan, taking the reins.
The side had serious workout last Sunday in match against Eric Miller’s Leinster Youths outfit which won 17-3 in a full-blooded affair at the Green Road.
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