Young Shane Horgan can go all the way to greatness...

April 1997

DRIGHEDA Rugby Club’s Under 18 Youth International, Shane Horgan, has made an unprecedented breakthrough for Leinster Youth Rugby this week.

Shane received a fantastic boost to his rugby playing career, when he received the news that he has been included in the initial Leinster Senior Provincial Development Squad.

Not alone has a youth player never before made such a squad, but the fact that he has come through from a Leinster Junior Club has given all aspiring young rugby players a great incentive for the future.

The talented Bellewstown 6ft 4ins centre has always been something special. He started his rugby playing career with Delvin Rugby Club’s U-12 team reaching the Leinster U-12 final and also played for the Delvin Club in winning a McGowan U-14 Leinster Youth Cup medal.

When New Zealand coach Ken Tarrant arrived at Drogheda Rugby Club, Shane joined the Club’s Youth Development programme. He was selected for Leinster and Ireland as an under 17 and has played for two years on both teams, winning 8 Leinster and 5 Irish Youth caps. He had a major part to play in both the Leinster and the Ireland Youths unbeaten records this season.

Shane scored three tries for Drogheda Rugby Club’s U-18 team in winning his years Leinster League final against Suttonians. He is also equally successful in other codes, having played for Meath Minors on many occasions.

What is probably the most remarkable aspect of Shane’s success is that he made this breakthrough on a totally new route to the top. This is the first time that an underage player, who has not come through the Schools System, has ever been selected for a Leinster Senior Provincial Development Squad.

It is’great testimony to the quality of the programme at Drogheda Rugby Club in that one may have expected a forward to have made the initial breakthrough and not an attacking centre who has all the basic skills and vision for the game.