Rainey targeting a five-star surge of momentum

RAINEY Old Boys have a fifth straight win in their sights when they host Old Crescent at Hatrick Park.

The Magherafelt club are second in the 2A table and just three behind leaders MU Barnhall, so confidence is fairly high that Rainey can keep their own winning run going.

“If we play the way we are playing then I think we can comfortably match them up front,” said director of rugby Brian Smyth of what will likely be key to the game.

Coach John Andrews has made minimal alteration to his side with Andrew Donaghy coming in on the wing and Josh McAuley at flanker.

Queen’s University will be aiming to prevent a third consecutive defeat when the now fourthplaced students play leaders Barnhall, who have yet to lose, at The Dub.

Also in 2A, Ballymena, who are sixth, entertain third-placed Cashel.

In 2B, Dungannon will be seeking to follow up last weekend’s bonus point victory over Ballina — the eighth-placed Tyrone side’s first win — when they travel to Galway to take on Corinthians.

Belfast Harlequins, who are in ninth, are also on the road and they take on mid-table Malahide.

In 2C, fourth-placed Omagh are at home to Bruff, who are a place above them, while City of Derry, in fifth, are at Tullamore.

Bangor, down in ninth, are at second-placed Skerries.

2A: Ballymena v Cashel, Queen’s University v MU Barnhall, Rainey Old Boys v Old Crescent

2B: Galway Corinthians v Dungannon, Malahide v Belfast Harlequins

2C: Omagh Accies v Bruff, Skerries v Bangor, Tullamore v City of Derry

OVER at The Recreation Ground in Bath they’ve apparently dubbed it the ‘Burns Cup’. As Ulster and their hosts begin their Heineken Champions Cup campaigns on the banks of the River Avon tomorrow afternoon (1pm kick-off), it will be convenient, if a little awkward, for Gerry and Donna Burns, to see two of their sons in action over the course of the same 80 minutes but on opposing sides.

Frequent visitors to Belfast since the youngest of their four offspring, Billy, left Gloucester and swapped Kingsholm for Kingspan Stadium in 2018, following the rugby careers of both the Ulster fly-half and his elder brother Freddie, now of Bath, has become an increasingly time consuming affair in recent seasons.

Weekends have long-since been lost to the oval ball but, with air-miles now into the equation, at least the latest edition of the sibling rivalry allows for the rare opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

“It is was just bound to happen wasn’t it?” laughs Billy of the draw that sees the brothers going head-to-head in what seems sure to be a key contest in a tight Pool Three, joking that subsequent trips to Belfast for Freddie have likely been more of a scouting mission than familial solidarity.

“I was in my car and I had (the draw) on the radio, and when it got down to the last eight or nine teams I was sort of sure it was going to happen, it was strange.

“When you are put into the Champions Cup there are so many quality teams that you’re not really looking at whether you would rather have this team or that team or whatever, but obviously for me to get Bath is great, and the minute it was announced (head coach) Dan McFarland texted me straight away just saying ‘get your head on’.”

While the pair have been on opposite sides previously in the Premiership, the element of luck of the draw in this instance has added to the excitement.

“I have played against Fred a few times before and it is obviously a special occasion for the family — not my mum! — but the rest of them,” he says.

“We will have good craic with it obviously.

“I am looking forward to it more because it is quite strange how my rugby career has gone.

“I started in Bath (Academy) and I am now going to be going back across and representing this province there. And obviously with my mum and dad now having to fly across here to watch me, they can just pop down the road for a change which will be good for them too.”

Burns’ readiness for this clash figures to be a big boost for Ulster, undoubtedly now one of the side’s key men. While his half-back partner John Cooney remains the backline’s beating heart, Burns’ value has been shown in his absence.

When on the field, the 25-year-old’s willingness to play flat and encourage his forwards onto the gainline has been key to sharper attacking performances, while his ability to pick out a winger with a cross-field kick provides an extra dimension too.

The switch from Gloucester seems to have the makings of a real success, even if growing up it was the blue and black of tomorrow’s opponents he dreamed of wearing. Before turning out for David Humphreys in cherry and white,