Malone Tornadoes pushing boundaries in Irish and international rugby
Malone RFC is one of Ireland’s most famous clubs. Based in Belfast, the club has produced countless Irish internationals, with some of those representing the British and Irish Lions too. While the Senior men’s side plays in Division 2B in the Energia AIL, their mixed ability side are pushing boundaries around Ireland and further afield, as the Malone Tornadoes.
The Tornadoes were founded in 2018, and in less than a decade have grown into one of Ireland’s leading mixed ability teams. Ashley Mulligan has been involved in rugby for over half a century, and joined the Tornadoes when they were founded. He acts as a player facilitator with the team. “Malone Tornadoes were founded through the Newforge Taggers”, he explains. “A lot of the players had reached a point where they wanted to start playing mainstream rugby, but that would have been an issue for many players.” “Some coaches in the club found out about mixed ability rugby and went to a conference in England on it. They came back enthused, and with other like-minded people around the area, wanted to give back to the game. It started small but has evolved from there.”
Tag rugby was the starting point for many of the Tornadoes’ players, and Mulligan explains that mixed ability rugby is a game for all ages and abilities. “It’s a contact version of rugby, which puts together players with and without disabilities to come together as a team. All the rules of contact rugby are played, with uncontested scrums being the only difference. It is the most enjoyable form of rugby you can see and be part of.
“It brings together players with no experience, players with lots of experience, and even those who were lost to the game through retirement or injury.”
While the club began with a handful of players, it has grown enormously in recent years, with recent trips to Pamplona and Edinburgh among the highlights. “We got together and have grown through word of mouth about what we are doing. We are now at the stage with a playing squad of nearly 60 players over the last seven years. The ethos of the team is being in this together, and the team is all about the ability, not the disability.” Earlier this year, Mulligan was the winner of the Ulster Rugby Foundation Award, at the province’s annual awards event, for his work with the Tornadoes. He says that volunteerism is key to the team’s success, at all levels. “Volunteers are crucial, but the structure has to be right. Volunteers cannot commit every week, but the team never suffers thankfully. Monday night’s training can be the highlight of the week for some of the players. We want to reach players that don't have that first step, and we want to help players try something new. We continue to find players in the most unusual of places.”
The team took part in the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament in Spain earlier this year. The Tournament acts as a World Cup for mixed ability teams, with the Tornadoes being one of two Irish teams competing. “We took 65 people to Pamplona and were so proud to represent Ulster and Irish rugby.”
While a logistical operation of that size would cause logistical challenges, the Tornadoes found more challenges than expected, due to some of the players’ additional needs. “We were playing in 42-degree heat. A machine that one of the players uses to help him regulate wasn't able to work properly, due to the heat. There were a lot of things like that, we couldn’t predict. “We got tighter through that adversity. You have people who run businesses eating breakfast with teammates who may not be in a position to work full-time. That doesn’t happen in real life. The conversations are now just a natural part of the team. We’re a team, and see no differences. The confidence in some of these players is incredible, in seeing them grow.”
Mulligan has seen his own playing career have a second coming, due to the Tornadoes, and it’s a form of the game he wants to see grow, all over Ireland. “It’s the greatest form of rugby. It’s physical, but it’s played in the right spirit. Players are looked after and facilitated. We can tailor the game around any player’s needs. Players can go hard in a match or take it easy. “We want players to do their best, be part of a team, and when the game is over, they are as eager to be involved off the field. We will do all we can to try and facilitate any player’s needs, no matter what they are.”
