Young Rugby Player Exchange between Letterkenny Rugby Football Club, Letterkenny, Ireland and Ponsonby Rugby Football Club, Auckland, New Zealand

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The Ireland Fund of New Zealand was involved in the development phase of a new annual Young Rugby Player Exchange programme to link Auckland, New Zealand with Letterkenny in Ireland.

Following the visit of the New Zealand All Blacks to Ireland in November 2005 to mark the Irish birthplace of David Gallaher, Captain of the first New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team to tour Europe in 1905, several rugby enthusiasts and clubs in both New Zealand and Ireland discussed the concept of honouring Gallaher’s memory by arranging for young New Zealand and Irish rugby players of today to have an opportunity to participate in a cross-cultural exchange between the two countries.

Following initial discussions, it was decided to pilot the programme and in August 2006 both Rory McGonigle and Noel Conlon were the first young rugby players to travel from Ireland to New Zealand. They were guests of the Ponsonby Rugby Football Club for just over a month and both enjoyed their experience. Refer to the Letterkenny Rugby Football Club website at for further details of Rory and Noel’s trip.

Letterkenny Rugby Football Club >

The exchange programme is currently in the development stages and it is hoped that a trip for two New Zealand rugby players to Ireland will be just as successful as the initial arrangements were for the Irish rugby players.

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1. Ponsonby RFC welcomed Dave Gallaher Scholars Noel Conlon and Rory McGonagle to New Zealand with a special lunch in the Ponsonby RFC Clubhouse
2. Noel Conlon and Rory McGonagle

For further details:

T - 64-9-977 2251
F - 64-9-977 2256
E - newzealand@irlfunds.org