MY CLUB: BANGOR RFC
Upritchard Park,
Bloomfield Rd S,
Bangor BT19 7PN,
Northern Ireland
By Daire Walsh
EARLY season wins over Navan and Boyne have shown Bangor RFC have settled well into life in Division 2C of the Ulster Bank League, following their promotion from the junior ranks at the end of last term.
New Zealand native Jason Morgan plays a pivotal player-coach role with the Co Down outfit, and in addition to being a former team-mate of current All Blacks out-half Aaron Cruden, Bangor team manager Ricky Armstrong explains a connection that Morgan has with Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt.
“He [Morgan] is a brilliant, brilliant coach. He came over here just as a player, he’s been a brilliant player. Still is a really good player, but he’s obviously at the end of his career,” Armstrong remarked.
“But coaching wise, he’s as good as I’ve ever seen. We reckon he’s as good as anybody out there. Joe Schmidt was his schools coach in New Zealand as well, which I only found out this year. Jason has been a massive, massive influence for our club.”
In addition to being team manager, Armstrong also holds a role as Chairman of Selectors with Bangor, and reveals how he experienced the highs and lows as a scrum-half at Upritchard Park.
“I’m first XVs manager. I select all the other teams as well. I’m Chairman of Selectors primarily during the week, and then on Saturday I would be with the team. I retired the season before last. Funny enough, the season before we won everything!
“I’ve gone from seeing my dad do so well with Bangor, and then All-Ireland League with Bangor for a few seasons, and then us getting relegated, and going through all the bad times. Sort of five or six people at training, and going from four teams down to three teams, and then the resurgence.”
In recent years, Bangor have had the honour of seeing two of their members coaching teams to European Cup success. Harry Williams and Mark McCall led Ulster and Saracens to the promised land in 1999 and 2016 respectively, and Armstrong was quick to acknowledge the role that both men have played in the club.
“He [Williams] has always been about the club. He wouldn’t miss a home game, and he was a big influence when, sort of five or six years ago, we were really struggling. He came in with Dick Milliken – he played for the British Lions. He came in with him, and took over the reins, and kept us in Qualifying One for a season.
“Mark’s a great guy. His dad, Conn McCall, would have been one of the biggest influences that Bangor Rugby Club ever had. Our clubhouse downstairs bar is named after him. Any day his dad had off, Mark was at the club. Mark’s a cracking lad. He really is a good guy, and obviously a brilliant coach,” he added.