Welcome to another edition of Inside Suttonians, where we celebrate the people, teams and initiatives that make our club what it is, both on and off the pitch.

This week, we celebrate the long-awaited return of our U20s and look ahead to our upcoming Suttonians Business Lunch, bringing together our sponsors, supporters and local business community.

Sunday marked a significant milestone for Suttonians RFC as our U20s took to the field for their first fixture since February 2018, fittingly against the same opposition they faced over eight years ago, Trinity College.

Following a strong pre-season training block, a squad of nearly 30 players travelled to face Trinity in their opening pre-season friendly, delivering a hugely encouraging performance in challenging, hot conditions.

Suttonians RFC U20's

Despite trailing 7–0 for much of the game, Suttonians showed plenty of attacking promise and created several opportunities, although they were unable to convert them into points.

There were some excellent individual performances, with scrum-half James Burke earning Man of the Match, while Haydn Gallagher, Ruggero Mencarini and Aengus O'Loughlin also impressed.

Head Coach Oscar Reilly was delighted to see the return of an independent Suttonians U20s side:

"First and foremost, it was brilliant to see an independent Suttonians U20s side take the field. Despite the result, we're very happy with the performance and it has set an excellent platform ahead of the league."

With their first outing under their belts, the squad now turns its attention to the upcoming league campaign.

The return of our U20s is an important step for youth development at Suttonians, providing a pathway for our young players to progress into adult rugby while continuing to represent their club.

Friday, 23 October 2026 | Marine Hotel, Sutton | 1:00 PM

On Friday, 23 October, Suttonians RFC will host our Business Lunch at the Marine Hotel, bringing together our existing sponsors, local businesses and members of the wider Suttonians community.

The event is an opportunity to celebrate the businesses that already support our club while welcoming new organisations into the Suttonians network.

We hope to showcase the value of being part of our community, building relationships that benefit both local businesses and the continued development of Suttonians RFC.

Meet Our Guest Speakers

Bernard Jackman

We are delighted to welcome Bernard Jackman, former Ireland and Leinster hooker, international rugby coach and leading rugby analyst.

Bernard brings extensive experience of professional rugby, leadership and high-performance sport, and we're looking forward to hearing his insights on the day.

Dr. Ciaran Cosgrave

Joining Bernard will be Dr. Ciaran Cosgrave, Director of UPMC Sports Medicine and the UPMC Institute for Health, and one of Ireland's leading consultants in Sports and Exercise Medicine.

With over 20 years of experience in elite sport, Dr. Cosgrave has worked across rugby, soccer, athletics and several Olympic sports, including serving on the medical team at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

His extensive rugby experience includes serving as Head of Medical for the British & Irish Lions' 2025 tour to Australia, alongside previous medical roles with the Irish Men's Rugby Team (2016–2024), the British & Irish Lions (2021) and Leinster Rugby. He has also worked with the Liverpool FC Academy.

The afternoon will be hosted by our very own Gordon Linehan.

Whether you're an existing club sponsor, a local business interested in getting involved or a member of the Suttonians community, we'd love to welcome you.

Event Details

Proceeds from the event will support our ongoing pitch redevelopment project.

For bookings and further information, please contact Paul Lappin at [email protected] (087 236 5880).

Inside Suttonians will return with more stories from across Station Road as we continue to celebrate the people, teams and initiatives driving our club forward.

Fág an Bealach! 🔵🟢