He is hoping the school can go one better than last year, when they reached the final for the first time since 1973. “We definitely have the potential to do as well as, and even better than last year’s team. The boys have trained very well and there’s a great excitement and a buzz about what they’re doing. The last couple of sessions have been fairly sharp and we’re focussed and keen to give it our best,” says Soper.
“We’re a different team to last year; we’ve probably got different strengths and weaknesses. I guess everyone is going to judge this team and compare them to last year but we’ve spoke a lot about being our own team and we’ve got a new identity. But we’ve a good core of the group that were involved last year and played at Ravenhill twice, so we can take that experience with us. Hopefully the boys can create their own bit of history and go one better.”
It is that experienced core of players that Soper will look to in order to achieve that bit of history. He says, “Probably our standout player this year has been Jonny Darling at number 8, he’s an outstanding captain and his leadership at this level has been superb. He’s been out go-to guy in a lot of games. Jack Irvine at outhalf is three years in the team and he’ really very mature in how he calls the plays, and Paddy Reid is a tighthead prop who is a devastating ball carrier. So if things are going a bit pear shaped we’ll be looking for those guys to make something happen,” says Soper, who also gained promotion to Ulster Bank League Division 2A with Banbridge RFC last season.
Ballyclare High School have progressed to the last four of the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup following wins over Down High School (33-5) and Sullivan Upper (13-5). But despite the school’s excellent record in the competition in recent years, Soper believes his charges will start as underdogs: “We’ve played Inst. twice so far this season and they’ve beaten us on both occasions. The last time we played them they beat us very well so they will definitely be favourites.
“They have a very good lineout, an outstanding back row and their backs are very dangerous. So there are a lot of threats right across the park and we’ve had a look at them. But we’ve also had a look at our own performances of late because we haven’t played as well as we wanted to, particularly in the Sullivan game.
“The pressure of being at Ravenhill can do funny things to young men so we’ll wait and see which team deals with the pressure the best,” he concludes.
In that last final appearance back in 1973, Ballyclare High School secured a 13-8 win over RBAI; the only Schools’ Cup triumph in the school’s history. A similar result today against the same opposition would give them a fine opportunity to win the Danske Bank Schools’ Cup for a second time.