Waterford Tag Rugby has been crowned Development Champions at the National Tag Rugby Championships after an unbeaten campaign in Portlaoise on Saturday, June 27.

Competing at the national championships for the sixth time, the Déise side claimed the Development title with a 12-8 victory over Dublin Warriors in the final, following impressive group stage wins over Cork, Dublin Wolves and Galway.

Waterford made a fast start in the decider, with Billy Doherty, Caolán Johnston, Mark Hayes and Jacinta McLawrence crossing the line to build an early lead. Dublin Warriors fought back in the second half, but Waterford’s defence held firm to secure a memorable victory and the county’s first national Development title.

Captain David White said the achievement was especially significant after previous trips to the championships had failed to bring success.

“It was a great achievement for tag rugby in Waterford because we’ve gone up six times now and results didn’t always go our way,” he said. “This year there was a real different feel. We had a really together group of people, we were all on the same page and we just wanted to bring it home. Thankfully, we did.”

The triumph was even more remarkable as the squad almost did not compete in this year’s tournament and trained together only once before travelling to Portlaoise.

“We only got one training session the week before,” White said. “Teams like Cork and Dublin had been together for weeks, but anything I asked the team to do on the day, they did. We were all on the same page. Nobody wanted to be the star of the show, we all just wanted to win.”

The victory marks another milestone in the continued growth of tag rugby across Waterford, where hundreds of players now take part in the Irish Tag Rugby Association Summer League at Waterpark RFC.

Fifteen year old player Ria Strykanska said winning the title was an unforgettable experience, particularly after joining the squad only last year.

“I honestly wasn’t expecting I’d get this far with the team,” she said. “I was the youngest joining, so it was intimidating at first, but everyone was so welcoming and supportive. Winning the national title just showed that no matter your age or experience, you can do it.”

She also encouraged more young people to give the sport a try.

“People are often nervous about joining a new team, but everyone has been there before,” she said. “Everyone supports you and encourages you. The spirit around the team is unreal.”

Tag rugby continues to grow in popularity across the county, offering a non contact alternative to traditional rugby for players of all ages and abilities.

Waterford Tag Rugby is now exploring plans for winter and spring leagues to build on the sport’s growing success locally.

Coach

Andrew Gault

Women

Nicolle Dunphy (Co-Captain)

Jacinta McLawrence

Aoife Buenaventura

Rebecca Derwin

Ria Strečanská

Mia Johnston

Michelle Shanahan

Jayne Redmond

Men

David White (Captain)

Mark Hayes (Co-Captain)

Karl Molloy

Shane Kavanagh

Caolán Johnston

Carlsen NJ

Billy Doherty

Daniel Dowling