Former All Black Brett Wilson will succeed Brent Pope as coach at Clontarf, a decision ratified by the club's executive committee. Wilson, who won one cap for New Zealand against Argentina, will take over at the beginning of next season in place of Pope who moves to St Mary's College.
Wilson actually played at Clontarf for a season in 1981-82 and the former Poverty Bay hooker had no hesitation in taking up the Dublin club's offer. It comes as an ideal boost for Clontarf as they prepare for Saturday's Leinster Senior Cup Final against DLSP at Lansdowne Road.
Their opponents, playing in their first final, have launched an appeal to all De La Salle and Palmerston old boys to support DLSP on the night (6.0). However they must do without talented full-back Shane Stephens who has returned to New Zealand for the summer.
Quite why the match has been fixed for Lansdowne Road on Saturday at 6.0 p.m. defies logic. The Leinster Branch wanted to avoid a clash with the FA Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United at Wembley and this in itself is sensible - but why the location and time?
With due respects to the two clubs, Donnybrook could adequately cater for the `crowd' and there might have been a better chance of drawing the odd neutral if the match was scheduled for Friday night.
Meanwhile, former Irish Schools' out-half Andy Dunne has joined Old Belvedere from UCD. The 20-year-old former Belvedere College schoolboy is a member of the IRFU Academy and is currently recovering from a broken wrist. His acquisition is a huge boost to Old Belvedere.
