Club aiming to restore its glory days

FOR a club steeped in success during its long and illustrious history, four successive seasons without any silverware hasn't sat too comfortably with anyone connected with Ballymena Rugby Club.

The Eaton Park club has long been considered one of the big names in Ulster and indeed Irish club rugby, with many players who have gone on to become world-renowned names in the sport.

The club, as it is known today, began after the First World War in 1922 and played its fledgling years at the town’s Demesne.

By the end of the Second World War, the club had reformed an was based at the Showgrounds, while using changing facilities provided by Ballymena Academy, whose headmaster, the late WH Mol, had assumed the position of club President.

The 1950s were an important decade for the club, with firstly admission to Ulster rugby’s senior ranks, followed by a move to their present-day base of Eaton Park, at that time a modern nine-acre site which also played host to a number of other sports and cricket continues to flourish there to this day.

Despite a number of lean years in the 1960s, the club produced a number of outstanding individuals at international level such as Syd Millar - the club’s current President - and Willie-John McBride, who would go on to have a profound influence on the game, at playing, coaching and administrative capacities.

In 1970 Ballymena were pioneers in Irish rugby by appointing a principal coach, adopting a squad system and setting up a club coaching scheme which was to lead to many trophy-laden years, during which they were arguably the foremost club in Ulster and Ireland, with a steady of stream of players to the international panel.

After celebrating their centenary in 1987-88, Ballymena tackled the newly-created All-Ireland League head on and there were further changes in store as rugby began to adapt to the changes of professionalism in the sport.

Over the last 15 years, a number of top quality coaches such as Nelie Smith, Andre Bester, Tony D’Arcy, Steph Nel and Jacques Benade all brought their southern hemisphere ethos to the club.

It was during D’Arcy’s spell in charge that Ballymena reached the pinnacle of their success by winning the All-Ireland League in 2003.

Ironically, rugby has almost come full circle since then, with the best players taking up professional contracts, leaving the club game increasingly marginalised.

It was on the back of that situation that Ballymena appointed its first home-grown coach - John Andrews - for more than a decade in 2009, with the aim of capitalising on the rich talent base of young players from the schools game.

It has been a difficult few years for Ballymena RFC but the club is working tirelessly to ensure that a return to the glory days isn’t far away.