July 16th 2022 will forever be etched in the annals of Irish sport. On that momentous day, our rugby players defeated the All Blacks in Wellington and won a series on New Zealand soil for the first time in history.
In all the years of rugby football on our island, Saturday was arguably the greatest day of all.
In Ballina Rugby Football Club, we are extremely proud of the Irish squad, management and support staff who wrote their names in legend - and, we are proud beyond words of our own Caelan Doris and Dave Heffernan.
Both men began their rugby lives at Saturday morning Minis in Heffernan Park. Both men wore the crest on the chest on successful youth teams and are very proud of their BRFC days.
The first-test jerseys of both men hang in our clubhouse alongside those of our other senior male internationals, Michael Moylette and Gavin Duffy.
The three-test series in New Zealand was seen as a defining moment in the development of this team and their World Cup ambitions. The first test saw both Caelan and Dave on the pitch before Dave picked up an injury. Although the result didn't go our way on that occasion, it was a proud day for BRFC to have two of our own playing test match rugby on New Zealand soil.
The second and third tests were spectacular for the men in green and we were extremely proud to watch Caelan reinforce his reputation as one of the finest players on the planet right now. He was spectacular at times and filled our hearts with pride from the other side of world.
Club Chairman, Alan Rowe, was a proud man on Saturday morning when history was made and legendary status was bestowed.
"We're extremely proud of Caelan, Dave, their families - and our club today. We see boys and girls from all across our catchment area pour in to Heffernan Park every Saturday and to see two of our former Minis achieve this momentous series win is something special.
"We have boys and girls here who dream of wearing the green of Ballina and Ireland on huge occasions and now they see two of our Minis doing just that. It's inspirational stuff."