UCD rugby teams win Colours matches against Trinity

18 February 2026

^{UCD President Professor Orla Feely with the UCD Women's Rugby Club Credit: Henry Simpson}

The UCD men’s and women’s rugby teams have brought home the Colours Cup this year after wins against local rivals Trinity College Dublin.

UCD women’s team won 84-0, with the men’s team winning 19-13. The matches took place in Trinity’s College Park, with UCD President Professor Orla Feely in attendance to congratulate both teams.

The Colours matches are annual rugby fixtures between UCD and Trinity.

This year marked the 72nd edition of the Men’s Colours matches, which was inaugurated on 13 December 1952 at Lansdowne Road with the first title taken by UCD. Trinity gained their first win in 1954. 

The Women’s Colours is more recent, with the women’s teams playing for the Colours Cup for the first time in the 2014-2015 season.

^{UCD President Professor Orla Feely with players from the UCD Men's Rugby Club Credit: Henry Simpson}

In this year’s women’s match, both teams went back and forth with possession until UCD finally broke the stalemate with a try by Hannah Wilson in the 20th minute.

A high-intensity first half was brought to a close at 15-nil with Captain Evelyn Donnelly scoring the first of her four tries of the evening.

The win saw the UCD women continue their college campaign with no teams having scored against them this semester. 

The men’s match took place under torrential rain, with the encounter live-streamed to London for the first time this year.

UCD started well, before Trinity took the momentum, scoring a try and a penalty to take a 10-7 lead. 

UCD dominated the rest of the game, playing well in the conditions and controlling territory, closing out the game to retain the colours trophy for the first time in College Park.

By: Rebecca Hastings, Digital Journalist, UCD University Relations

To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie