Lansdowne FC

Lansdowne U20’s have been very successful in recent years, and look to retain  the  JP Fanagan Premier 1 League which they have won  in three times in the last four seasons 2019/20, 2017/18 and 2016/17.

We are very proud of our under 20’s structures; led by Ireland’s most successful under 20’s coach Declan Fassbender, whose knowledge and attention to detail are second to none. Charlie Doel, is the new assistant & forwards coach, and he will bring great knowledge and enthusiasm to the role. We also welcome Rhys Ruddock as an assistant forward’s coach  this season. Rhys will bring a vast amount of experience and technical knowhow to the squad

Off the field, Mark MacMahon, Director of Under 20’s Rugby, keeps everything moving as it should be in an efficient manner.

This season Lansdowne are also in a position to field two U20 squads, with the 2nds team playing in the Premier 3 league. This squad will be managed by Kieran Mulligan and coached by Seb Berti & Clive Ross

Lansdowne under 20’s rugby under different guises, such as 19’s & 21’s, has been around for nearly 30 years and was set up as a comprehensive player development programme, firstly to supplement the senior team and more recently to also develop young players for the professional game.

Lansdowne FC aims to identify and develop potential club, provincial and international players who will be equipped with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to succeed in both the amateur and professional era, both on and off the pitch.

Lansdowne FC is a traditional but still very progressive club with a proven history and culture of creating a quality environment for players where the foundations are laid to prepare players for a life in professional rugby but also for a career outside of rugby.

Mission Statement

To Nurture and Develop the Characteristics and Skills Necessary in the Pursuit of High Performance Rugby through the Provision of a Professionally Structured Programme of Fitness, Rugby, Mental and Personal Skills.

While the aim of Lansdowne 20’s is to fast- track players to senior AIL, under 19/20 interprovincial/ international representative levels as well as senior interprovincial development level, and beyond, our structure creates an environment conducive to the development of a career that will extend beyond rugby.

On completion with Lansdowne 20’s we expect the individual to have attained a level of sporting excellence together with the complementary life skills necessary to sustain a productive career whether that be in or out of rugby

Objectives

Lansdowne 20’s, similar to the IRFU Provincial Academies, has an elite player development programme and is closely aligned to the IRFU elite provincial programmes. The programme is structured to enable the player to maximise his potential and the strategy is designed so that players realise their full potential. At Lansdowne FC we not only want to develop the elite professional but we want and encourage club players to achieve their maximum goals on and off thee pitch and to be a Lansdowne member for life.

If you want to be part of one of the best under 20 set ups in the country and want a competitive and enjoyable place to play rugby then send us an email ASAP (to elaynepower@lansdownerugby.com) as we would love to have you involved.

Training for U20s takes place every Tuesday & Thursday at 18.00 on the back pitch in Lansdowne Rd, adjacent to the Aviva stadium

U20s Management Team

Head Coach

DECLAN FASSBENDER

Director of U20’s Rugby

MARK MACMAHON

Captain

STEVEN WALSHE

Forwards Coaches

CHARLIE DOEL

RHYS Ruddock

S&C

DEAN LESTER

Physio

Rob Sheehan

Lansdowne F.C. first and second teams train together as a squad. This enables the team run drills against each other and benefit from competition for places. The major benefit is that all players can learn the same team plays and seamlessly step in for first team players when the occasion arises. The Lansdowne 2ndXV is always competitive and has a proud place in the history of the club.

The team compete in Division 1 of the Metropolitan League.

Our J2 team plays in the Metro Division 2 league. This league is a highly competitive league and is made up of J1 and J2 teams. There is a strong focus on the social side of rugby along with the playing side to ensure that our team members are well-rounded individuals!

Games are mostly on Saturdays and training takes place on Mondays and Wednesdays alongside the J3s to ensure that there is strong competition for places. There is great opportunity for players to move up (as well as down) the Junior teams. Historically, Lansdowne have always been strong at this level so we are always open to welcoming new players as well as those who may have put their boots away for a few years and are looking to rekindle the love of the game.