Captain Michael McLean says Ballymena better prepared to end 14-year wait for Schools' Cup glory

This season there is a different feel to the team with 18 of the current squad winning the U16 trophy at Kingspan Stadium and captain Michael McLean hopes that will bode well for Monday’s Schools’ Cup final with RBAI.

“I think that is a good thing for the team, we have gelled as a team,” said McLean. “A lot of those boys will have also played mini rugby at Ballymena Rugby Club so they will have been together since P1 the whole way through upper sixth.

“There is a really good bond between the players and the team; it is important that the players can gel so well to have a good outcome for the whole team.”

Ballymena won’t let the pressure of the 14-year gap since they last lifted the cup affect their preparations.

“I don’t think there is too much pressure on us, we have been a successful team the whole way through school and we know what we need to do to get a win and put in a good performance,” added McLean.

“The coaches have us well prepared and we know what we are doing, and if we can execute our game plan well there is no pressure on us at all.

“2010? I’ve heard about it from playing rugby through the school, it was the last time we won it and the last time we have been to a final. When you are in the competition it is mentioned but it isn’t talked about too often.”

Ballymena have added Ulster trio Andy Warwick, Alan O’Connor and Luke Marshall to their backroom staff this season and McLean feels they have all made a telling contribution in the team’s run to the final.

“It is great having those boys and they are experts in their field, they are get players,” he said.

“Al (O’Connor) has unfortunately been injured this year but he has been at most of our sessions and he is a good asset to the team.

“Waz (Andy Warwick) provides some great knowledge and expertise, especially for the front row as well as all aspects of the game.

“Luke’s skills and ability to coach them are fantastic for us,” added McLean.

“It was wet in the semi-final, but we do have the ability to play expansive rugby as well as close quarters rugby. Having all those coaches has gelled us into a great team.”

If Ballymena win the cup for the fourth time in their history, they will have done it the hard way by not playing at home in any game.

“We’re on the road to both BRA and Regent which makes it a bit tougher playing in places that aren’t familiar to us,” he said.

“We have been on the road quite a lot this year. John Nicholl planned that in case we did get away draws, so we had been prepared to go away to different teams.

“BRA were a strong side, but we came out victorious; Regent put up a good fight as well.

“Sullivan in the semi-final – we had played them earlier in the year so we were confident going into it but not arrogant.

“We executed our game play well enough in those matches and it all went well.”