arr ington , ▁England ▁and ▁several ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁national ▁champion ▁Dublin ▁Blues ▁represented ▁the ▁Ireland ▁Student ▁Team ▁against ▁USA , ▁Western ▁Sam oa , ▁New ▁Zealand , ▁Japan ▁and ▁Wales . ▁These ▁included ▁Ph el im ▁Com er ford , ▁G av in ▁Lee , ▁Robert ▁Mc D onn ell , ▁Paul ▁Ryan , ▁D ara ▁Mac Car thy ▁and ▁Se an ▁Cle ary . ▁In ▁addition ▁G av in ▁Gordon ▁of ▁the ▁Bang or ▁Vik ings ▁and ▁London ▁Bron cos ▁formed ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁team . ▁The ▁highlight ▁of ▁the ▁tournament ▁from ▁an ▁Irish ▁perspective ▁was ▁a ▁spir ited ▁performance ▁against ▁the ▁event ual ▁run ners - up , ▁Western ▁Sam oa , ▁which ▁saw ▁the ▁difference ▁between ▁the ▁ 2 ▁teams ▁being ▁a ▁single ▁score ▁until ▁ 1 0 ▁minutes ▁from ▁time . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁Ireland ▁" State ▁of ▁Origin " ▁series ▁was ▁established ▁between ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁and ▁the ▁Republic ▁where ▁represent atives ▁of ▁the ▁club ▁teams ▁engaged ▁in ▁the ▁All - I reland ▁competition ▁played ▁for ▁each ▁region ▁over ▁a ▁ 3 ▁match ▁competition . ▁The ▁inaug ural ▁winner ▁was ▁the ▁Southern ▁team . ▁Some ▁of ▁the ▁players ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁State ▁of ▁Origin ▁series ▁from ▁both ▁regions ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years ▁included ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁stal w arts ▁of ▁Rugby ▁League ▁in ▁Ireland : ▁Eric ▁Do yle , ▁Ph el im ▁Com er ford , ▁Ric key ▁Smith , ▁In nes ▁Gray , ▁Brian ▁Car ney