Bandon To Host Las Leonas

Exciting times for women’s rugby in Ireland, with the World Cup arriving in just over a fortnight, as the country hosts the sport’s elite for what’s sure to be a memorable three weeks.

Tom Tierney named his Irish squad, with seven Munster players, earlier this morning, and over the next coming weeks we’ll be profiling those Munster women who are set to represent their country in the biggest stage on home soil.

However, that’s not the only Munster involvement in this year’s tournament, with Bandon RFC set to host the Spanish side this week and next, as they get their preparations underway for the tournament’s opening game against England.

The side arrive this Friday, while Saturday and Sunday will see the Spanish and their host nation scrum down for a defensive session, which is sure to be well attended by fans looking to see the Irish side up front, as well as their guests.

The connection? Régis Sonnes. The current Bandon coach was head coach of Canoe Rugby Club Madrid, before looking after the senior men’s side for two years ahead of his departure in 2012, and suggested the West Cork gateway town he calls home following a call from head coach José Antonio Barrio, who was assistant coach under Sonnes at Canoe.

“There’s definitely a possibility of winning at least one match, and hopefully progressing out of the pool, certainly with Italy in the group” said Sonnes, who will be interested to see how his former side, who competed in the Olympics at sevens level last year, have progressed in the more traditional form of the game.

The side are staying at the boarding Bandon Grammar School, and using the facilities at both the school, who reached the semi-final of the Senior Cup for the first time under Sonnes last year, and Bandon RFC, who captured their first ever Munster Junior Challenge Cup in an extremely successful season down West.

“They wouldn’t really know about rugby down here in Bandon, but of course they’d know about Munster. There’s definitely scope for the town to be used as an international hosting venue again in the future; with the accommodation in the school, the facilities there and at Bandon RFC, as well as the beach nearby at Inchydoney and the Spa there, certainly I’d hope it would be an option for teams.

“There’s definitely a good feeling behind the Spanish team at the moment after their financial difficulties a few years ago, especially with the World Cup coming up, and with both teams playing in the Olympic Games, but they’re still very much in a development stage.”

The hope is that the Spanish side enjoy their time in Bandon as much as Sonnes has, a fantastic season in Old Chapel for both sides justifying the decision to bring outside help from the Mont-de-Marsan native.

“Last year was a fantastic season, and I’m already looking forward to next year, so we’ll see how it goes. Cork is fantastic, the area is really beautiful and the people here are really nice, I’ve had a fantastic time thus far.”

The Women’s Rugby World Cup begins on Wednesday 9^th August, with Spain opening the tournament against favourites England in the UCD Bowl at 2pm. We will have further news of both Spain and Ireland’s preparations over the next few weeks.