Galway Tribesmen prepare for New Rugby League Season
Sport GBFMSport
As a famous sports coach once said ‘It’s not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters’
This adage could definitely be applied to the Galway Tribesmen Rugby League club as they prepare for the 2016 Season.
The Tribesmen who celebrate their fifth year in existence this year have grown from strength to strength since their inauspicious beginnings and were very unlucky not to progress beyond the regional group stages last time around when after finishing top of the Connacht/Munster division they were pipped at the post in the regional final by the ‘Treaty City Titans’ from Limerick.
2016 sees a new departure for Rugby League Ireland and the Tribesmen with the formation of an all new national league which will see the Tribesmen travel to various outposts including South Dublin, Co Meath and Cork and brings with it a whole set of new challenges, not least the logistical challenge of transporting the squad and it’s now loyal band of supporters around the country.
The Tribesmen have been preparing for this upcoming season almost since the last try and conversion of 2015. The club are blessed with a number of talented contributors off the field who have built a solid platform and led initiatives such as a community based fitness club and regular fund raisers throughout the preseason. This level of organisation has manifested itself in not only the majority of the successful 2015 squad reconvening to train well in advance of the opening game, but also, a huge level of interest from newcomers from all corners of the province and beyond.
Last year was the Tribesmen most successful season to date, not only in the achievements of the team itself, but also the fact that three members of the squad gained full international honours, whilst a number of others represented their country in the annual student four nations tournament.
This time around, the club are hoping to emulate and surpass their previous achievements. This begins this weekend with an unprecedented tour to North Wales when they visit the Conwy Celts for a preseason friendly. This is followed by the serious business of the first league game of the season on Tuesday 17 May at South Park (The Swamp) at 7.30pm. Ironically this game is against the ‘Treaty City Titans’ and the Tribesmen are aiming to avenge them for their defeat at the regional final last term. This game promises to be a mouth watering challenge so why don’t you come along and support your local rugby league team, who are arguably the fastest growing community sports club in Connacht