Junior Club Job For A Day – The Reactions!

Find out how the Junior Club members got on working with the Munster squad on a match day in Thomond Park for the Munster v Grenoble game on the 14th of August – in their own words!

The first group of winners had their dreams come true when they went behind the scenes at Thomond Park and assisted Munster team, staff and MRSC volunteers. Let's see how they fared!

Kit Assistant: Frank Manley, Tipperary (Age 10). Frank helped Kit Manager Jack Kiely organise the match day kit in the home dressing room and made sure all necessary equipment was ready and in position on the side-lines for the player's pre-match warm-up.

"I was delighted to be chosen as one of the winners of the first Munster Rugby Job for a Day Competition!!
I worked as assistant to Munster kit man Jack Kiely before the Munster v. Grenoble match. I helped to set out the gear, food and drink for the players in the Munster dressing room prior to the game. I also had to set out the tackle bags and cones on the pitch for the warm-up."
"I got to meet all the players and management as they arrived in the dressing room. Everyone was very nice.
B.J. Botha even shared his wine gums with me!! I joined my parents and brothers Mark and Rory to watch the game and we then went to meet the players at the post-match BBQ. We got some great photos, which will have pride of place on my bedroom wall."

"All-in-all, it was a fantastic experience. I would especially like to thank Jack and the MRSC for a brilliant day!!!"

MRSC Photographer: Amelia Duggan, Tipperary (8). Amelia took photos of the fans pre and post-match in the Fan Zone Plaza and captured the action on the field from the side-line.

"Thank you so much for picking me for the job for a day competition. I had a great time being a photographer with Linda last week. Linda is a very good teacher and showed me how to take the best pictures and I hope I got some nice ones for people to look back on. (see some of Amelia's shots here) I loved the big camera I got to use and my favourite picture is the one that the Munster coach Anthony Foley took of me. (Below) Definitely one for me to keep and treasure. I had a great time walking up and down the pitch and watching everyone enjoying the match and it didn't matter that we didn't win cause everyone was still smiling and that's what being in the supporters club means. You still smile even when we lose because Munster are our team and we support them anyway . I think I would like to be a photographer when I grow up and maybe I'll be back taking pictures in Thomond Park again."

"Thank you to the MRSC and especially Linda for all your hard work!"

Oscars Helper: Conall Curnane, Kerry (8). Conall made sure our mascot Oscar was on time to meet all his fans both outside and throughout the stadium.

"When we arrived at the stadium, I met Ciara Lyons and Ian Buckley at the Munster shop. Ian then took me to the dressing rooms. I had to set out all of Oscars gear, fill his water bottle and make sure he had everything he needed. Ian then took me on a tour of the Stadium all by myself!! This was awesome."

"We bought Oscar onto the pitch to Hi-five and take photos with the crowd, he kept trying to run away from me but I chased after him. Finally the match had started, so we sat down to watch the match it was really exciting."

"Then at half-time we brought Oscar onto the pitch the do the Cross-bar Challenge!! I had a go too, I think I got the closest!! I had a Fantastic day!! I plan to be on Thomond turf in the future, Many thanks to Munster Rugby, the MRSC, Ian Buckley and Ciara Lyons."

Assistant Nutritionist: Lara Munro, Limerick (14). Laura was on hand to assist Munster's Performance Nutritionist Catherine Norton as she prepared appropriate foodstuffs for before, during and after the game.

"On Friday the 14^th of August I had the pleasure of being assistant nutritionist to Dr Catherine Norton for the Munster V Grenoble pre-season friendly. On the match day, I arrived at Thomond Park and I met Ciara Lyons from MRSC. As part of my prize I gratefully received a Munster t-shirt and an Adidas sports bottle which I wasn’t expecting! Ciara also gave me two access passes; one for the tunnel and the other was a general access pass. I really felt like part of the Munster team!"

"Ciara took me on a tour of the stadium and I got to see the Thomond suite. I got to walk down the tunnel and also sit in the dugout and watch the players warm up which was cool! I was introduced to Dr. Catherine Norton who is the Performance Nutritionist. She explained to me what the players eat before the match. Good quality food is so important and she explained that the players are encouraged to cook for themselves (although I think Donnacha O Callaghan had a few of the young players around and he did the cooking that day!). When we were sitting in the dugout, Catherine introduced me to Billy Holland and Andrew Conway and I had to tell Andrew what was good and bad around the wrap he was eating. I was glad that I remembered some of what I had learnt in my science class!"

"On the day, I was also introduced to Anthony Foley, the kit manager, one of the team analysts and the team physiotherapist. Everyone was so friendly. Catherine took me on a tour of the dressing rooms where I got to see where the players get ready. I saw the coaches room, the physiotherapy room and the showers. In the changing room there is a huge fruit bowl full of bananas, apples, grapes and oranges."

"I’m a swimmer with Limerick Swim club and what I Iearned on the day will also be very beneficial to me. The whole experience was fabulous and it’s really good to understand what goes on behind the scenes. Thanks to MRSC and a very special thank you to Ciara and Catherine for their time. What a great start to the season!!

Ball Boy/Girl: TJ Carroll, Tipperary (12) and Roisín Kelly, Limerick (14). Working from the side-lines during warm up and during the game, they fed the rugby balls back to the Munster squad as needed for lineouts and restarts.

Roisin Kelly: "I was thrilled to get an email from Ciara at the MRSC on August 10^th to congratulate me on being chosen to work for Munster Rugby as a ball girl at the Grenoble game as held last Friday. I told all my family and friends the good news. They were all delighted for me."

"Though it seem to take for ever match day finally arrived. My dad dropped me to Thomond at 4:20 PM. We were met by Jennifer from the MRSC. My dad swapped me for 2 match tickets! I was taken with the other ‘job for a day’ competition winners to get trained up on our duties for the day. Myself and TJ, the other ball boy ‘job for a day’ competition winner, were shown what to do along with all the other ball boys on duty for the game."

"Once we had the hang of what needed to be done we then go to do our first real job, helping the players during their warm up by fetching and giving them balls. All the players were very nice and thanked us when we gave them a ball. Our captain for the day Cathal was especially thankful for all our hard work."

"Come kick-off I took up my position on the pitch, on the East Stand side at the North Terrace corner. I did not see much action near me for the first half. My main duty was to work with all the other ball ‘people’ on my side to make sure everybody had a ball at all times."

"At half time I enjoyed walking up and down the side-line spinning up my ball and catching it. Got loads of requests from kids in the East Terrace to throw them a pass but I wasn’t going to lose sight of my ball!
Towards the end of the 2^nd half there were a couple of lineouts down my corner of pitch. I made sure to pass on a ball to the hooker and offer to have it wiped using my towel. Our hooker, Kevin, thanked me for my efforts."

"Once the game was over I stood alongside our players as the clapped the Grenoble team off the pitch. When all the players had left the field I helped to clear the pitch. My Mum and Dad, who had watched the game, collected me afterwards from reception."

"Thanks to MRSC and Munster Rugby for a great day. Thank you also for the Munster training top and Adidas bottle. I really enjoyed being a Munster Rugby Employee for a day!"

TJ Carroll: "Hi, my name is Tj Carroll, I live in Loughmore Co Tipperary. On Friday the 14th of August I got to be part of the Munster game as ball boy. I arrived at Thomond Park at 4.20pm to have training before the game started. I was met inside and given a wrist band to access the stadium. We went out onto the pitch and I was shown my position for the match. I was shown what to do when the rugby ball went out of play."

"The teams then came out onto the pitch for pre match warm up. My duties started straight away. When the ball came out over the line it was up to me to return it to the players . The crowd started to build up in the stadium at atmosphere was class. I was looking forward to seen the game from the side line. The match kicked off and I was ready to get going. It was a few minutes before I was needed the excitement was building up. The ball was kicked into the crowd and I was quickly up on my feet to retrieve it, after giving the ball to the munster players. Luckily for me the ball came to my position a few times and i was able to give it back to the players."

"Before I knew it the match was over and my duties finished. I had a brilliant day!!! We went outside for the BBQ afterwards where the players met with their fans and Oscar was there too. Thank you so much for giving me a day I will always remember."

Six more children will be taking part in our Junior Club Job For A Day competition this Friday in Irish Independent Park Cork for the second of Munster's home Pre Season Friendlies! Make sure to come along and give them a big wave and a cheer!