RBAI head coach Jamie Kirk challenges his squad to write their own Schools' Cup legacy against Campbell College

Inst have lifted the trophy on 32 occasions – the last was to complete a hat-trick in 2017.

Current Ulster assistant coach Dan Soper was in charge of the Belfast city centre school as they won the trophy in 2015, 2016 and a year later.

Four of that 2017 cup winning team – Michael Lowry, James Hume, Callum Reid and David McCann – played for Ulster in their recent United Rugby Championship victory over Cardiff while another RBAI old boy Jude Postlethwaite also featured at the Arms Park.

Lowry and Hume have both been capped at senior level for Ireland.

“Players are entering professional earlier,” stated Kirk. “For some of our upper sixth boys to be in school when those players were playing at Inst there is that association with it.

“The boys would take about that sense of family or community in the school for the likes of Jacob (Boyd), Michael Lowry and James were part of that family when they were at school and to see them now represent Ulster it really brings it home for them.

“It is a fantastic inspiration for them and they definitely use it.”

Six years has been a long time for an Inst side to go without winning a Schools’ Cup.

“Acknowledging the pressure is the best thing,” added Kirk. “I don’t think it would be helpful to avoid the fact that there is pressure there, but these boys want to be in these matches and want to play in them.

“I think they take huge inspiration from the tradition of the school – even against Cardiff they were five guys from Inst representing Ulster. The younger generation see that, and I think it does strengthen the unity across the school as well.

“Even the Medallion semi-final we had a year eight boy on the shoulders of Bryn Ward when they were celebrating at the end and singing.

“There is that unity across the school and they do draw strength from that.

“Post-Covid going back into rugby was like a new era in the school. We reviewed the culture of the rugby club and the themes we were going to put forward.

“It has taken us a little bit of time to see that coming through and I think we are now seeing it right across the school.

“There is a feeling around the rugby club that first of all there is unity and there is a common theme throughout all our teams so they are excited to showcase that on the 17th and to get that opportunity to play in a final again as we have not been in it for a while and we’re looking forward to it.”

Kirk has already tasted success this season with his club Instonians winning promotion in the All-Ireland League and he is going to embrace his first Schools’ Cup final.

“I have the expectation on myself first and foremost before recognising or acknowledging the pressure from outside – I think the pressure is very much the same on myself,” he said.

“I think it is acknowledging first of all but then not focusing too much on it and trying to stay on task in terms of what will actually be the process right throughout the rugby club at different stages to prepare us to get to a Schools’ Cup final.

“Making sure that we are developing in the long-term view in terms of the performance and not focusing too much on the end goal of where we want to get to at the end of the year.”