News

Highlights: March 2025

Contract News

The IRFU confirmed that Mack Hansen and Joe McCarthy have signed central contracts. Connacht wing Hansen has committed to the end of the 2026-27 season, while the new deal for Leinster lock McCarthy runs until the conclusion of the 2027-28 campaign.

RPI Executive Board Member Dave Heffernan has signed on with Connacht Rugby for a further two years where he will be joined by Oisin McCormack, Eoin de Buitléar, Josh Murphy, David Hawkshaw, Chay Mullins, Sean O’Brien and Josh Ioane. 

Munster Rugby stalwart Jack O’Donoghue will remain in Limerick for another season, with Mike Haley committing for a further two years. They will be joined by JJ Hanrahan who confirmed his return to his home province. It is the third time the Kerryman has signed for Munster in his career. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Leinster Rugby announced a raft of contract extensions and senior deals for Fintan Gunne, Jack Conan, John McKee, Luke McGrath, Jimmy O’Brien, Andrew Osborne, Jamie Osborne, Jordan Larmour, Ryan Baird, Niall Smyth, Diarmuid Mangan, Hugh Cooney, Sam Prendergast, James Lowe, Gus McCarthy and French international prop, Rabah Slimani. 

After eight years with Ulster Rugby it was announced that John Cooney is bound for Brive in France’s Pro D2 next season, while fellow scrumhalf Kieran Marmion has extended his stay at Bristol Bears. Darren Sweetnam has put pen to paper on a new deal at Oyonnax. Former Leinster Rugby full-back Chris Cosgrave has signed for Japanese club Urayasu D-Rocks on a short-term deal.

Ben Brownlee has signed a short-term deal with Munster Rugby. So too has Andrew Smith who departs Galway along with Adam McBurney who has signed for CS Dinamo București in Romania with immediate effect. 

Comebacks

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Having suffered her second ACL injury in two years, Aoibheann Reilly got back to action for the Clovers as she stepped up her return to full fitness ahead of the Women’s Six Nations. Aoibheann ultimately featured off the bench in Ireland’s campaign opener against France.

Irish international flanker Maeve Óg O’Leary has also battled her way back from injury, featuring in the AIL for Blackrock College after over a year on the sidelines. Having suffered a knee injury last year, Jeremy Loughman featured for Munster for the first time in five months. Tadhg Furlong also made his much anticipated return to action in Ireland’s final Six Nations outing against Italy. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Milestones

Finlay Bealham, Jack Conan and Caelan Doris all made their 50th appearances for Ireland in the side’s loss to France. Meanwhile, it was announced that Doris’ counterpart on the Women’s team would be Amee-Leigh Costigan who was assisted in her duties by Edel McMahon and Neve Jones. Almost inevitably, Aoife Wafer was named Player of the Round for her performance in the same game. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

While the men’s team will have been disappointed with their overall campaign, the performances of Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan were recognised in their being named in the Team of the Championship. Sheehan’s contributions are particularly notable with the hooker becoming the Championship’s top try-scoring forward of all time. 

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Back home, both Stuart McCloskey and Conor Murray racked up their 200th appearance for their respective provinces. 

Player Development Programme

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Rugby Players Ireland and the IRFU have successfully completed a comprehensive review of the Player Development Programme (PDP), conducted by Growth Unlimited. This extensive evaluation has been met with strong endorsement and will help shape the future of player development in Ireland.

The review also underscores the shared commitment of Rugby Players Ireland and the IRFU to make Ireland the best place in the world to play rugby.

Key insights: 

• Global recognition of the PDP
• High satisfaction levels among players
• Strong focus on education and career development

Meanwhile, some of our Connacht Rugby members joined their PDM Ronan Loughney at a Great Place to Work Event in Genesys in Galway. 

HerForm

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On International Women’s Day we celebrated the launch of the HerForm website. An EU-funded project led by Rugby Players Ireland, HerForm focuses on the personal development needs of female athletes entering high-performance environments.

Find out more here. 

Community Engagement

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Having led the Wolfhounds to success in the Celtic Challenge, Claire Boles spoke to Rugby Players Ireland about her busy and varied life. A PhD student conducting research in pharmaceuticals, Boles spoke openly about her experiences at the Olympic Games in Paris, her hopes ahead of the Women’s Six Nations and her role as an ambassador for Parkinson’s Ireland. 

Read the interview here.

Retirements

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

In the lead up to Ireland’s crucial Six Nations clash with France, it was announced that Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy will retire from rugby at the end of the current campaign. While Conor Murray‘s international involvement has come to an end, he will pursue a playing opportunity abroad later this year. Pillars of Irish rugby for over a decade, the trio will go down as three of the greatest contributors to Irish Rugby.

With over 114 caps, O’Mahony has been a relentless force in the back row, excelling as a leader both on and off the field. Captain for Ireland’s Six Nations triumph of 2024, O’Mahony combined his role with that of Chairperson of Rugby Players Ireland’s Executive Board.

Over the course of his 125 caps, Murray has rarely slipped from the standard that saw him become one of the leading players in his position for the best part of a decade. Renowned for his tactical kicking and game management, Murray was crucial to both Ireland’s first-ever victory over the All Blacks in Chicago and the 2018 Grand Slam campaign.

Healy meanwhile marked his final outing for Ireland with a typically powerful try against the French in Dublin. Ireland’s most capped player, Healy won 137 caps beginning with his impressive debut outing against Australia back in 2009. Since then he has played a key role in some of the greatest moments in Irish Rugby history, including the winning of five Six Nations titles – a record he shares with both O’Mahony and Murray. 

Having announced her international retirement last year, Lauren Delany has decided to call time on her career entirely. A latecomer to the game, Delany won 24 caps for her country having also represented Ireland in basketball. A performance nutritionist with Sale Sharks, Lauren will continue to contribute to the game by helping athletes reach their full potential. 

On the Mend

Unfortunately, Shane Daly was ruled out for the rest of the 2024/25 season following an injury sustained on Ireland A duty. We look forward to seeing him back in action next season. 

Clubhouse

We rounded up members of the Connacht Rugby past player network for a early workout and breakfast in Galway. Hosted by The Dean Hotel, the players were put through their paces before PDM Ronan Loughney brought them up to speed on what the supports available to them through Beyond the Game, Rugby Players Ireland’s dedicated past player programme, supported by the Global Rugby Players Foundation. 

Tadhg Leader and his Leader Kicking protegés were the subject of an RTÉ documentary on the rise of Irish talent making an impact on college football and the NFL in Punt: The Irish & the NFL. 

Watch it on RTÉ Player.

Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Former players Simon Easterby, John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman were named in Andy Farrell’s backroom team for the upcoming British & Irish Lions tour of Australia, with Paul O’Connell named as interim Head Coach for Ireland’s Summer Tour. 

Billy Dardis teamed up with the Global Rugby Players Foundation to explore his experience of the adjustment period after leaving rugby. Watch ’60 Seconds to my Younger Self’ here.

Our congratulations to Jonny Murphy on the release of his cook book, Bakes and Wee Treats.