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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Brian Gleeson celebrates after his team mate George Hadden scored the third try against England. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Tipperary's Brian Gleeson helped Ireland to achieve a second rugby Grand Slam at the weekend.
The Loughmore player won the player of the match award and scored two tries as Ireland's Under 20 team saw off off England by 36-24 at Musgrave Park on Sunday to complete a historic Six Nations senior and Under 20 double.
Ireland are the first team to win back-to-back Grand Slams at this level, while it is their third Under 20 Six Nations title since 2019.
They led 12-7 at half-time in a game played in wet and windy conditions in Cork.
The result mean that Ireland are the first nation to win a senior and underage Grand Slam double since Wales (senior and Under 21 teams) in 2005.
Garryowen's Brian Gleeson played hurling with his county as a juvenile, representing Tipperary at Under 14 and Under 15 levels, before developing a love for rugby while a student at Rockwell College, having played for Thurles RFC as a young boy.
Above: Brian Gleeson, who helped Ireland's Under 20 team to win the Grand Slam. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
In previous interviews he has stated, "It’s been an unusual sort of a way. I started out when I was about six years old in Thurles, kind of because a lot of my school mates in primary school had started there.
"I decided that I’d try it out because I was quite a big fella, and my dad had played in Thurles when he was younger.
"So I kind of played for about three to four years, and I was going well in the hurling, making the Tipperary Under 14s/Under 15s, so I went more to the hurling and football route and I actually gave up rugby in Thurles.
"It’s only when I went to Rockwell I took it up again because that was the only sport really that was going on in Rockwell at the time.
"GAA is kind of a religion in Loughmore, it’s unusual that people don’t stick in the club.
"But I’ve had such great support from everyone locally and in the club, but still again I would miss playing the GAA.
"Having to concentrate on rugby, obviously you can’t play it anymore".
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