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‘Its not just for members of the LGBT+ community or the rugby community, it’s for absolutely everyone’

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YOU MIGHT HAVE seen the iconic Guinness Gates painted in pride colours today, and you’re wondering why so. 

Well, the reason why is the 2019 Union Cup coming to Dublin.

Emerald Warriors players Richie Fagan, John Noone and Oran Sweeney at the Guinness Gates today. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

Europe’s biggest LGBT+ and inclusive rugby tournament is taking place on these shores for the very first time, with Dublin City University (DCU) hosting the tournament on 8 and 9 June.

With Guinness on board as sponsors, they transformed the world-famous Rainsford Street Gates for the first time in their history, and excitement is well and truly building for Ireland’s host team, the Emerald Warriors.

After beating competition from Manchester and Cardiff to bag the hosting rights, they’re ready to welcome 43 teams from 15 different countries in nine days’ time to the biggest Union Cup since the tournament’s first edition in 2005.

And this year, there’ll also be a women’s tournament for the first time, while openly gay professional referee Nigel Owens will officiate over the weekend.

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“We want to showcase the modern Ireland, the changing Ireland — in particular after what we did in 2015,” Warriors player, president and chair of Union Cup Richie Fagan explains, referring to the same-sex marriage referendum.

“We’ve made a lot of historic firsts. We’re going to be first Union Cup to have the dedicated women’s side to the tournament, we’re going to be the first tournament to have our federation [IRFU] run it.

“No other city has done that before, and it shows how serious we’re taking it. It’s incredibly exciting.”

Just listening to Fagan and his team-mates Oran Sweeney and John Noone speak, you can tell just how eager and enthusiastic the trio are about the upcoming tournament.

A view of the Guinness Gates. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

They speak glowingly about the work that’s gone in so far — both on and off the field –  and discuss a variety of topics from rugby to sexuality, and much more in between.

Of course though, a certain someone comes up in conversation sooner rather than later.

Israel Folau.

Given the furore over the past few weeks surrounding his recent comments and then, subsequent sacking, do they feel that this is a very timely tournament to show that rugby can be an inclusive sport?

“Without a doubt,” Fagan says. “That was a bizarre situation but it had left quite a deep feeling within us.

“But it just goes to show the importance of what we’re doing and the importance that you can never be complacent. For young kids who see that player — a phenomenal player — as a role model, we so welcome what the Australians have done to take such a strong stance on it.

They’d rather focus on the bright side of it all.

Team captain Sweeney jumps in.

“Taking the positive from it, his comments were obviously terrible but they brought it to the forefront of the media and given it attention which is great because it puts it in the spotlight and it really makes people think of what people should be doing or how people should be acting . 

“We’re inviting family, we’re inviting friends, we’re inviting everyone in Ireland as a whole to come DCU to watch us play rugby and get a flavour for what inclusive rugby actually is.”

The Emerald Warriors trio with Tallaght RFC’s Megan Fogarty. Source: Dan Sheridan/INPHO

With plenty of research done in the build-up, one stat that jumped out was the fact that just 17% of LGBT+ people are members of a sports club or team (Sport England, 2016).

Each of the players stress just how important it is to spread the word about the Union Cup, so that people are aware of the opportunity to get involved in the sport going forward.

“The stats were quite small in terms of that understanding of what LGBT+ rugby is so its great to get family down, get friends down and for everybody to see what it actually is and what it stands for,” Sweeney adds.

“That’s why we want everyone to show up,” Noone adds. “We want people to see that this will hurt and it doesn’t matter where you come from or what you are, it’s just males and females playing rugby and that’s it.”

“Absolutely,” Fagan includes. “It’s a phenomenal experience, brings an incredible buzz and it’s going to have real festival vibe to it.”

– Originally published at 16.13

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