The 2026 season was a hugely successful and enjoyable year for the Lane Cove Old Ignatians. 

In the third season as a merged club, we continue to grow and thrive, with 140 registered players this year across three senior grade teams and our U21 Colts team. 

It was also fantastic to see many Old Ignatians' past players on the sidelines at Tantallon Oval watching their sons playing! 

We contested finals in every grade, with our Colts, coached by Nick Hill (OR90) and Robert Palmer (OR92), making their third successive Grand Final, only to go down 19-22 to Beecroft in a tight game. The Colts team had a very strong contingent of old boys, with 17 of the 19 squad members from recent years: Jim Hehir (OR24), Cormac Kelly (OR23), Al Brown (OR24), Billy Brooks (OR22), Oliver Hunt (OR24), Ben King (OR24),  Will Ward (OR24), Lachlan Cashion (OR25), Billy Grattan (OR24), Luke Brady (OR24), Jude Smith (OR24), Marco Vecchio (OR24), Will Garnsey (OR23), Oliver Galvin (OR23), Lachlan Clancy (OR25), Ed Thorp (OR24) and Will Hogg (OR23).

The culmination of the season was our First Grade side winning the Clark Cup Premiership, defeating Knox Old Boys 34-24. Under the coaching of John Morrison (OR77) and manager John Meagher (OR90), this is the first premiership for the new Lane Cove Old Ignatians club, and the first First Grade Premiership since 2002. Captained all season magnificently by Ben Tuckfield (OR19), the squad included many Old Boys, including Rory Egan (OR20), who was awarded the Clark Medal for Best & Fairest for the entire season, as voted by the referees.  

We will be back again, bigger and better in 2027 and would love to see more Old Igatians joining the club for a great year ahead! 

Robert Ward (OR88), Club President

Website: www.lanecoverugby.com.au