Rugby stars in cycling tribute to late coach

SOME of Ireland’s top rugby stars wore black arm bands yesterday as they completed the Irish stage of the cross-channel fundraising cycle for Munster’s former fitness coach Paul Darbyshire, who died on Monday after a long battle with motor neurone disease.

The cyclists, including Munster legend Mick Galwey, Munster manager Shaun Payne, Sale prop Tony Buckley and former Munster winger Ian O’Dowling, were joined on the final stage by Munster flanker Denis Leamy and Leinster scrum-half Eoin Reddan, as they rolled into Trinity College in Dublin and remained on course to raise over €100,000.

They observed a minute’s silence in Paul’s memory but have vowed to continue raising money for his family, and for research into motor neuron disease, which is being conducted at Trinity by Professor of Neurology Orla Hardiman.