Huge congratulations to Stevie, Aaron, and Sam, who all made their official debuts for the Ophir 2nds against Carrick.

​It was fantastic to see all three lads step up, hit the pitch running, and put in a serious shift in the red, yellow, and black.

Putting on the jersey for the first time is always a proud moment, and every one of them represented the club with pride.

Here’s to many more appearances and solid performances in the Ophir colours.

​To mark the occasion, we caught up with two of our debutants to hear about their rugby background and what brought them to Ophir RFC.

​Player Spotlights & Testimonials

​Aaron — Backs (Centre / Wing)

​"I started off playing high school rugby in Ballyclare and then played a bit for Ballyclare U18s. After that, I went off to Leeds Beckett where I played Rugby League for two years, before taking a two-year break from the game.

​I mostly play centre, but I can cover the wing as well. I decided to join Ophir because I already knew a few people on the team and really liked the look and energy of the club."

​Sam — Forwards (2nd Row / Number 8)

​"I started playing rugby in 4th year of high school for the Medallion teams, and later played half a season for Carrick back in 2021. I had to step away after suffering a back injury and haven’t been back on the pitch until now. I’ve previously played 2nd Row or Number 8, but I’ve got no issues playing anywhere across the forwards.

​I chose to join Ophir because I wanted to get my physical fitness back up in a supportive team environment. I heard through Aaron that Jordan mentioned it was a great group of lads - and he was dead right.

Training has a brilliant team environment, and I’m looking forward to playing more with the lads and really appreciate the warm welcome."
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​A huge shoutout as well to Stevie for making his debut alongside Aaron and Sam - what a match to kick off your Ophir journey.