Cup specialists await their next golden era
Brendan Gallagher continues his series looking at rugby’s great schools
CAMPBELL College Belfast have a fine record in the Ulster Schools Cup, second only to Methodist College and RBAI with their victories ranging from their first-ever title in 1898, when they defeated Coleraine Academical Institute 7-0, to 2018 when they accounted for the Royal School Armagh 19-13 on St Patrick’s Day at Wingspan.
They have been a consistent force in the competition but with two distinct golden periods. Between 1919 and 1926 they appeared in seven out of eight finals and won four titles on the bounce between 1921 and 1924. During those four successful finals – against Coleraine AI, RBAI, Portora Royal School and Ballymena Academy – they conceded just three points, a try against the latter in 1924 when they triumphed 16-3.
The second golden period came between 1950 and 1961 when CCB appeared in ten of the 12 finals, winning four on the trot between 1953 and 1956 and there were notable back-to-back titles in 1960 and 1961 when a young Mike Gibson was a prominent member of their team.
The run of four titles was a curious affair in that during most of that period CCB could boast only a decent record – at best – during the regular season and indeed were on some occasions plain indifferent. They did, however, master the art of peaking at the business end of the second term and bringing their A game to all the hotly contested Ulster Cup ties. In short they became cup specialists.
The 1953 season was a good case in points with CCB winning just seven of their 17 games that season but they finished like a train to dispatch Foyle College, Grosvenor HS and Coleraine AI before drawing with Methody in the final with both schools sharing the title as was the system that year.
It was similar the following season when they were led by their outstanding skipper and flanker D Irons, who also found time to serve as head prefect and sergeant major in the CCF corp. Again, CCB struggled in the autumn term and during a 23-match season won only 12 games but, as they gathered momentum, they were unbeaten after Christmas and eventually stormed to victory over RBAI in the final.
The 1954-55 season generally saw a stronger showing but again all their defeats or drawn games – six in total – came before Christmas. After the break they were imperious and marched into another final. There they met Belfast Methodist again – who had taken them to the cleaners back in October with a 15-9, five tries to nil victory – and although it was close CCB took their revenge with a 6-5 win to take the title.
CBC made it four titles in a row the following season with another storming Easter term. This side was strong all round, generally considered the best since the war and the most powerful of their four title-winning teams, but injuries and
bad weather had hampered them in the first term.
The turning point was a short tour to England where they lost narrowly to Wrekin but bounced back with a thumping victory over a highly-rated Bromsgrove side. There was no looking back after that and although it was close in the final they again enjoyed the sweetest of wins over old rival Methodist College.
After defeat in 1958, when future Ireland and Lions hooker Ken Kennedy was to the fore, the wins in the Gibson era came in 1960 when in fact they shared the title with RBAI after a 0-0 draw while the two sides contested a much more entertaining affair 12 months later when CCB took the honours 16-6.
Gibson, of course, was a phenomenally gifted and astute
player with the pace, skill and tenacity to play anywhere in the back division and in 1964 embarked on a 16-year international career that consisted of 69 Ireland caps and 12 Test match appearances for the Lions.
The undoubted highlight would be his contribution to the successful 1971 Lions and to this day he is generally rated down in New Zealand as the most accomplished all-round back to visit their country.
There were another three titles in the 60s but thereafter it’s generally been tougher going – but there have been pockets of brilliance and renewed hope as they have tried to stem the tide against the all-powerful Methody and RBAI.
A number of high quality players emerged – fly-half Paddy Jackson and centre Chris Farrell to name just two – and one of the most notable modern-day teams was that of 2018 which tapped into the memories of their predecessors over 100 years earlier during a terrific campaign.
As part of a special project that year, the school investigated the stories behind the 126 pupils and one master who were killed during World War 1. A stained glass window commemorating all 127 had long held a place of honour in the school’s central hall and on further investigation it transpired that no fewer than seven of the 1913-14 team and their master in charge lost their lives in the hostilities.
The players who died were Semple, Owens, Herriott, Whiteside, McCullagh, Watson and Porter while the coach was a Mr Madden.
All this came to light at a key stage of their season, just ahead of a much anticipated Ulster Cup semi-final. Poignant pictures were taken of the 2018 First XV holding pictures of those members of the 1914 team that never returned to Belfast. With emotions high they stormed to victory in the semifinal and then finished the job with a backs to the wall 19-13 victory over Royal School Armagh.