There has been a huge amount of work taking place across our rugby programme over the summer and, as we move into the 2026/27 season, there is a real sense of excitement and anticipation around Lakelands.
For our Senior Squad, Paul Barr leads us into the new season as Head Coach, having taken over during the second half of last season. Paul brings a wealth of experience and success in Irish club rugby, and he and the wider coaching and management team have overseen a very productive pre-season.
One of the real positives of the summer has been the integration of our Senior and Under-20 squads, with more than 60 players involved in training at various stages. There has been a strong emphasis on developing greater cohesion across our 1st XV, 2nd XV and Under-20s and on creating a clear pathway for players as they develop within the Club.
We have also welcomed a significant number of new players to Lakelands, alongside a number of familiar faces returning to the Club. Huge credit is due to Mark Hamilton and everybody involved in recruitment for the work that has gone into strengthening the playing group ahead of the new season.
Recruitment and retention will continue to be an important focus across all levels of adult rugby. We want to make sure that players joining Terenure have the opportunity to develop, enjoy their rugby and find the right level at which to play. Strong alignment between Senior Rugby, Junior Rugby, our Under-20s and our Women’s side will be central to that, with players supported appropriately as they move through the different teams and stages of their rugby journey.
There is also plenty of positive work taking place around the continued development of Women’s Rugby at the Club. It is an important part of the direction in which our rugby programme is developing, particularly as we look to provide a clear pathway for girls coming through our Minis & Youths section to continue into adult rugby at Terenure.
On the field, the 1st XV have made an encouraging start to the defence of the Leinster Senior Cup, recording victories over Trinity and Old Belvedere and setting up a huge D6W derby against St Mary’s in Lakelands this Saturday, 5th September. The right result will see us progress to the Leinster Senior Cup Final for a second successive season.
Our 2nd XV have also started positively with a 26-12 friendly victory over Trinity, and there is healthy competition for places throughout the wider Senior Squad as we approach the competitive season.
More broadly, there is a great appetite across all of our teams to get back out on the pitch. Junior Rugby and the Under-20s have both had very positive pre-seasons, with a huge amount of work taking place around recruitment, retention and player pathways as we prepare for the season ahead.
Junior Rugby has already had a high-quality trial match, with two sides taking to the field. The standard was very encouraging and bodes well for the season ahead, with strong competition for places and plenty of players putting their hands up.
The Under-20s are also building well towards the start of their campaign, with a strong focus on recruitment, player development and creating a clear pathway into the wider adult rugby programme. The alignment between our Under-20s, Junior Rugby and Senior Rugby will remain an important part of how we develop and retain players across the Club.
With the clubhouse reopening this season and our new facilities, such as the gym, becoming fully operational, it will be great to see players, members, coaches, managers, volunteers and supporters gathering again in Lakelands.
One date in particular for everyone’s diary is Friday, 18th September, when we will hold our 2025/26 Player Awards Night in the clubhouse. It will be an opportunity to recognise the achievements of last season, celebrate our players and teams and, importantly, get everybody together as we begin another season.
I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all of our coaches, managers and volunteers across the Club for the enormous amount of time and effort they give to getting our teams onto the pitch every week. There is a huge amount of work that happens behind the scenes and, as always, the contribution of our volunteers is greatly appreciated.
Finally, I would encourage all members to keep an eye on ClubZap and our social media channels for fixtures and match information over the coming weeks and, wherever possible, to get down and support our teams.
There is great excitement around the Club for the season ahead and we look forward to seeing plenty of you on the sidelines and back in the clubhouse over the coming weeks.
Will Moore
Chairman of Rugby
1st September 202