Ulster core at the heart of Dundee University’s drive for National Trophy Final glory

Whatever way things pan out for Dundee University Rugby Club’s firsts in today’s BUCS National Trophy Final against Brunel University, it has been a remarkable journey of unshakeable team spirit and will to win.

Their strength has, not only come from an ability to play but also a special bond of togetherness with a notable Ulster input helping forge this collective as 10 of the squad hail from the province including a Schools’ Cup winner and finalist.

The Ulster connection forms a substantial core of this team with former pupils of Methodist College, Royal Belfast Academical Institution, Campbell College, Wallace High School, Friends’ School, Grosvenor, Bangor Grammar and Sullivan Upper all playing key roles alongside 11 Scots and one Englishman who make up the 22-player squad.

The Scottish university, not renowned for their rugby prowess, have punched way above their collective weight to reach this point in the national competition, seeing off teams from Edinburgh, Loughborough, Doncaster, Leeds and, in the Semi-Final, narrowly but deservedly downing a highly fancied University of Strathclyde.

No matter how you come at this, it’s difficult to avoid the band of brothers’ label as Dundee rack up at the Cup Final venue in Nottingham today — they at least overnighted from their lengthy trek but bus it straight back after the final whistle – on what will also be a poignant moment for many of them as this game represents the very last time they play together ahead of graduating and moving on.

Four years of university rugby and now they get a shot at lifting a sought-after trophy — Dundee last reached this point in 2014 but fell short — after defying the odds in getting this far; the Semi-Final win at Strathclyde being secured with the last kick of the game.

Now they go again and once more as underdogs.

“The fact that there are so many Northern Irish in the squad definitely helps in building the connection and has given us that two or three per cent extra and you always need that,” explains out-half Thomas Armstrong who won the Schools’ Cup in 2019 as part of a Methody side also containing Ethan McIlroy.

“I don’t think anyone expected to get as far as this.

“We know we’re a good team and the fact that we’ve played and beaten all these teams who are supposedly better has worked well for us,” added Armstrong who is studying medicine and was previously offered a place in Ulster’s sub-Academy but opted for his degree in Scotland.

For full-back Brad McNamara, who captains the side, and prop Stuart Cameron playing rugby together has always been there as both first met at mini-rugby with Instonians ahead of their time at Inchmarlo prep school and then RBAI before continuing on in Dundee.

“We’ve really grown over the season,” says McNamara, who with several others also plays with local club Dundee Rugby at weekends but during the week organises training for the university side with Dougie Gray a long-standing player from the city’s club.

“And we’re all such good mates that it’s been great to play in this competition which really makes a difference with your pals.

“I didn’t think we’d get this far and winning would be the ultimate really,” states the final year geography student who plans to stay and work in Scotland.

Long-time friend Cameron adds: “We’ve been the underdog every round, but it just keeps on going and getting better.

“This means a lot,” states the final year student in business management, “We’ve come together over four years and for those of us leaving it’s quite a nice ending to it all. We kind of knew a lot of the other guys from Northern Ireland having played against them when at school so it’s been really good to play together.”

“I’d say about half the team will be playing their final game but not me,” lock Max Gillespie explains as he still has a year to go on his mechanical engineering course.

The former Friends’ School pupil is hoping to end the trend of losing finals having done so at Medallion Shield and Schools’ Bowl levels.

“It’s a massive achievement to get here and it’s quite unbelievable to be honest.”

“We like being the underdogs and the team everyone thinks they can beat,” says flanker Sam Cardosi who is studying law.

“We know we’ve got players who can line it up. We’ve nothing to lose, so we may as well go out and enjoy it,” adds the former Wallace High School captain who is older than those about to leave having taken a gap year when he worked and played rugby in New Zealand.

“We’ll just do what we’ve been doing all along and hopefully we’ll get over the line.”

One more outing then for this band of brothers.