Rugby United New York Adds Cathal Marsh
Rugby United New York Release – New York, September 5, 2018.
New York City’s first professional rugby franchise, Rugby United New York, is pleased to announce the signing of Irish fly-half Cathal Marsh. Marsh had been with Leinster, of the Pro14 competition, since 2013 before deciding to transition into Major League Rugby.
The former U-20 Ireland international brings a strong resume to New York, having played for St. Michael’s and St. Mary’s rugby teams.
Cathal’s creativity on the field caught the eye of the Leinster coaching staff, and the fly-half was brought into the academy side. Impressive performances there, coupled with his strong showings for his school teams, earned him a spot on the Ireland U-20 team for the 2011 U20 Six Nations tournament, and then the 2012 Junior World Cup.
Marsh made his Pro-14 debut for the Leinster side in 2013 and went onto play another 25 times for the club.
“Cathal is a great signing for us at Rugby United New York, but also a great signing for Major League Rugby,” Rugby United NY Director of Rugby James English said. “He is a class player, huge talent, and comes with a ton of experience in a top professional environment. More importantly, he is a great guy, and will be a great fit for what we are building here in New York.”
Rugby United Head Coach Mike Tolkin, who lead the USA national team in the 2015 Rugby World Cup, is equally as excited to bring the experienced fly-half on board.
“We are extremely excited to have Cathal come on board here at RUNY. He has a fantastic pedigree in the game and is a quality man,” Tolkin said. “He will bring a mentally sharp approach to the game, and help the team play an aggressive brand of rugby- a brand that we look forward to implementing as the preseason begins.”
“The opportunity to move to New York, while playing professional rugby, was one that was too good to pass up,” Marsh said. “Everyone in the RUNY clubhouse knows what the intent is for the 2019 season- we want to be the best team in Major League Rugby. I’m looking forward to getting over to New York in the coming weeks and I’m ready to hit the ground running. I want to help this team be the best.”
Leo Cullen, Leinster’s Head Coach and former Irish international, had nothing but good things to say about his former fly-half, as he prepares for this next phase of his career.
“Marshy (Cathal Marsh) has been a hugely popular member of the Leinster Senior Squad over the last number of seasons,” Cullen told RUNY. “He played a significant role in the success of the Senior team. He will be a great addition to MLR, as he is such a dangerous attacking player, who is able to constantly challenge defenses. He will bring an array of skills and leadership experience to RUNY.”
This signing ends a busy summer for RUNY. The team has announced the signings of England international Ben Foden, former USA Head Coach Mike Tolkin to lead the organization, and former Namibian captain Kees Lensing as the Forwards Coach.
Rugby United New York looks forward to Cathal’s arrival in New York City and anticipates he will be an integral part of the 2019 campaign, set to kick off this January.
