Schools' Cup holders RBAI 'ready' for semi-final challenge against Wallace

​RBAI continue their quest for back-to-back Schools’ Cup honours with a semi-final clash on Tuesday afternoon against Wallace High at Kingspan Stadium
By Ciaran Donaghy
Published 26th Feb 2024, 21:02 BST
Updated 26th Feb 2024, 21:02 BST
RBAI celebrate Danske Bank Schools' Cup final success last year over Campbell College in Belfast. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)RBAI celebrate Danske Bank Schools' Cup final success last year over Campbell College in Belfast. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)
RBAI celebrate Danske Bank Schools' Cup final success last year over Campbell College in Belfast. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

​The Belfast pupils have overcome city rivals Campbell and Banbridge Academy to reach the last four, with Inst coach Jamie Kirk happy to highlight the quarter-final performance.

“It is a pretty exciting stage and we have a few boys that have obviously experienced these stages of the competition, so there is a good buzz already,” said Kirk. “With the longer turnaround between the quarter-final and the semi-final it gives you a bit of time to prepare.

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“Banbridge deserved to be in the quarter-final, they are a good side and I think their results throughout the season showed that. We were incredibly proud of how the boys stuck to the task in the Banbridge game, we had a lot of trust in our game and defensively we were very strong too, so that allowed us to play some good rugby.

“We have reviewed that and now it is about looking forward and making sure we improve and get better towards Wallace.”

Kirk knows what to expect from Wallace as he played under their coach, Derek Suffern.

“‘Suff’ coached me at Hinch (Ballynahinch) and Ulster U20s as well,” said Kirk. “It seems a long time ago now...but I always had respect for him as a coach. You always expect teams to be well-drilled under ‘Suff’ and we’ll expect the same from Wallace.

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“We expect them to be well-organised and well-drilled and to retain the ball relatively well, so we’ll prepare for that. On form this season it is probably the four strongest teams in the semi-finals, so there is certainly no easy tie.

“It is a Wallace team that fancy themselves, we have a lot of respect for the level of the intensity the game will bring, internally we are pretty excited about the challenge at hand.

"We know that we are going to have to put a performance in at the current stage where we are ready to put the work in to do that.”

With a number of pupils back from last year’s victory in the final over Campbell and a number of the Medallion Shield team stepping up, Kirk believes playing at Kingspan Stadium will hold no fears for his side.

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“The boys have an element of being nervous, but it is important that they understand that it is a good thing,” he said. “Similar with Wallace, they will have players that will have played in the semi-final last year.

“So both teams will have a level of experience going into the game which can be a good thing but it is about making sure that we are prepared to play in the moment and play this year’s game and this year’s semi-final. Whilst the experience is good it is important to stay grounded and present in the moment.”

Overall, Wallace will be looking for their first-ever outright victory in the competition after sharing the trophy with Royal School Armagh in 2020 when the final was cancelled due to Covid.

Suffern’s side have beaten Royal School Armagh and Enniskillen Grammar to reach the semi-final stage.

Related topics:Schools