Queen's aiming to kick-on this season after preserving second-tier status in All Ireland League but face stern opener against Shannon
Queen’s welcome nine-time All Ireland League champions Shannon to the Dub to start their Division 1B campaign on Saturday.
The students had to survive a missed last-minute penalty by Barnhall in the relegation/playoff final last season to preserve their second-tier status while Shannon were relegated.
Lock Charlie Irvine, who made his Ulster senior debut against Benetton in the pre-season friendly and then captained the development side against Scottish academies last Friday, feels Queen’s can improve after a difficult first season in 1B.
“It was a more challenging season than maybe we were expecting or would have liked. We didn’t have the full selection of players we have in our panel for various reasons with the U20s and injuries,” Irvine said.
“I think that showed a few times with inexperience and a changing team week on week – when it did get to the end of the season we did get those boys out.
“The playoff games were maybe the first time we had the same team two weeks in a row which is crazy in a 20-game season, but we pulled it off in the end and we’re still in 1B.
“The Barnhall game finished in typical Queen’s fashion, it’s never easy here I’ve learned that the hard way over the last four years.”
Irvine said Queen’s want to avoid being dragged into a relegation fight this season as they target the top four.
“All being well this year we have got the players to select from and kick on,” he said.
“We don’t want to be in a relegation battle this year, we want to be pushing top four and that is the aim.
“We want to be a competitive team where teams are coming to the Dub and fear playing us, and at the end of the season if we were at the other end of the spectrum to have a playoff to go up it would be great.”
With their history and reputation, Irvine knows there are fewer tougher tests in AIL rugby than going up against the men from Limerick.
“It is straight in at the deep end, big team, big heritage,” he said. “We’re looking forward to it. It’s probably easier them coming to us than us having to go to them in the first game.
“Hopefully it looks like we are going to have one of the strongest teams out that we can. It is a good challenge and a good way to get the ball rolling and we’re looking forward to it.
“It’s the second year of the partnership between Queen’s and the Ulster academy. Nine of the club’s players featured against Benetton and 12 in last Friday’s match in Glasgow.
“We are forming a pretty good group. It is two years since the agreement where a lot of the academy players come to Queen’s; maybe for the first three-quarters of last season we didn’t have the link that we would have liked.
“With the club players and the Ulster academy players coming in, the link is getting stronger and stronger and it is something that we want to go after this season to create a real tight-knit group within the club.”
Ireland U20s out-half Jack Murphy – son of Ulster coach Richie – makes his debut for the students.
Queen’s are missing Henry Walker, Scott Wilson, Lorcan McLoughlin, Joe Hopes, Josh Stevenson, Michael McDonald and Lukas Kenny.