'We have huge pride in our defence' - RBAI bid for Schools' Cup glory built on solid foundations ahead of Ballymena test

The Belfast city centre pupils have only conceded 10 points in their two fixtures across the current competition and now face Ballymena Academy over the semi-finals (Wednesday, 2.30pm).

“Certainly happy with the Wallace result...it’s a really tough place to go, they're always really well coached and we expected it to be a really tough challenge, which it was,” said Kirk. “I don't know if the scoreline necessarily reflected the game itself, but certainly happy to come away and keep them to nil.

“I think every year we have huge pride in our defence and a big focus on it and we've such a tough fixture list that you have to do a lot of work on it throughout the season.

“Even whilst we only conceded one try in the cup, we had a fairly honest review just around our defence in the quarter-final and I think there's lots of area for improvement.

“At this stage of the season everyone will do lots of review and preview on each other and teams will have things up their sleeve that they want to challenge you.

"It's just, whilst we've been really proud of our defence so far, I think there's lots to improve on.”

With a big gap between the quarter-final and semi-finals, Kirk has had to curb the enthusiasm somewhat heading into the Ballymena clash.

“It was interesting obviously being off for half-term, I guess in the first instance we wanted to enjoy the fact that we've got a semi-final to look forward to and get a bit of a good feeling around training,” he said. “I think it's not getting too excited too early, it's just making sure that we still have lots of areas of our own game that we have to improve on.”

Kirk is also the Instonians forwards coach and in preparation for the semi-final, took his school squad to train against the All Ireland League Division 1B club.

“Instonians play a very different brand of rugby to a lot of teams and a lot of clubs and schools, so it certainly challenges you defensively,” he said. “There is a brilliant link and the boys really enjoy going down there and challenging themselves against one of the top All-Ireland clubs in Ulster at the minute.

"I think that just gives us the opportunity to extend and to put us outside of our comfort zone, which is really important going into cup rugby.”

With former Ulster lock Alan O’Connor coaching at Ballymena Academy, Kirk feels the semi-final will be won and lost in the forward battle.

“Ballymena will be really well coached and I imagine they'll want to try and limit our game and apply as much pressure as they can on to us,” said Kirk. “It's going to be a physical game and obviously the occasion at Ravenhill is going to be another thing to deal with, so we're excited for that and we're certainly under no illusions...we know it's going to be a tough challenge, so I think we've got lots to work on and lots to improve on.

“Ballymena always are a tough abrasive pack and that's a challenge we've got to relish, we back ourselves around our own physical game and I think the boys are pretty excited for the challenge up front and at this stage of the season you're always going to come up against well-coached forward packs.

"And we back ourselves there as well.”

O’Connor sees no reason why Ballymena Academy can’t upset the Belfast big three and win the Schools’ Cup for the first time since 2010.

After hanging his boots up in the professional game, O’Connor took up the role at the Co Antrim school on the coaching ticket with John Nicoll.

And, after reaching the final two years ago, the ex-second row is eyeing glory this time around.

“I've only really been properly involved for one season, which was two years ago - and then obviously this season,” said O’Connor. “So, for me, I suppose I'm looking at it with fresh eyes.

"I'm looking at it in the sense that why can't it be us?

"Why can't we be the ones who go out and win the Schools’ Cup?

"What I've seen through the year is consistent growth through our team in all aspects of the game.

“So we've had a couple of really, really good results and then we've had a couple of results that really weren't us.

"We went away and we worked on things and we learned a lot of hard lessons throughout this year but I think we've come to a point where we are definitely well-organised, which is good, but I think we play with a lot of physicality and intent in our last couple of games now that I've seen.

“So if we have that as a team, I think that's the number one rule...our attitude.

"So if our attitude is on point, everything else will fall into place...if we turn up with the intent to win the game, it doesn't matter who it is, we dish up what we can dish up, I believe we can beat any team.

"But we have to come up with a good attitude first.”

It’s been a case of contrasting performances from Ballymena in the competition – a facile victory in the last 16 then a tough away game at Sullivan over the quarter-finals.

“Portadown...we went really well a lot of guys took their opportunities, I thought we came out of the blocks really well,” said O’Connor. “We had a lot of power and a lot of physicality that Portadown couldn't really deal with.

“Sullivan, it was a different challenge for us, going away to the Shark Tank they call it quite, a narrow pitch, so it was tough to break them down and it was tough for them to break us down as well because of how narrow that pitch was.

“I was really happy with how we dug in and I think defensively we really stood up, Sullivan had a lot to offer a couple of really good backs, the 13 played really well.

“Going away in a quarter-final to any team, no matter who it is, it's definitely difficult. so I was really proud of how the boys went about their work.

“it was a pleasing performance overall, it was good, a couple of things that we really need to work on now going into the semi-final against Inst.”

O’Connor believes defence will be a big factor in deciding the semi-final.

“Inst play a good brand of rugby, they don't play one-off and they're not predictable,” said O’Connor. “So they've got a couple of really good ball handlers, ball players in their back line.

“So they'll look to maybe get to the middle of the field and then maybe pick off either side, whichever is weakest.

“So, I think our defensive line, our defensive spacing and organisation around that, has got to be really, really key for us.

“Inst set-piece is really well organised.

"Jamie Kirk is a great coach so their lineout defence and their line of attack, that's going to play a really big part in the game.

“We obviously have to be on our money and on top of our work with that.

"There's a few work-ons now that we will be going hard.

“It's weird, but it's also quite good...so much time in between the quarter-final and semi-final.

"Normally, I think it's maybe only a week or a week and a half...so it's a bit odd, but good for us to be able to plan appropriately.”