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Connacht Rugby is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. Connacht competes in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. The team represents the IRFU Connacht Branch, which is one of four primary branches of the IRFU, and is responsible for rugby union throughout the geographical Irish province of Connacht.
Ian Robert Snook is a former New Zealand cricketer who played for Central Districts between 1972 and 1988.
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Jason Harris-Wright is a rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily plays as a hooker. Harris-Wright last played professionally for Bristol in the Greene King IPA Championship.
Craig Brian James Clarke is a retired rugby union player from New Zealand. He played as a lock during his career, winning two Super Rugby titles with the Chiefs where he served as captain. He also captained Taranaki in the ITM Cup. Before his retirement he was playing for the Irish provincial team Connacht in the Pro12, and served as the team captain. Clarke's ability to anticipate play and adaptability to the referee's rulings are two of his key attributes.
John Fogarty is an Irish rugby union former player who is now scrum coach for Ireland. During his playing career, in which he played as a hooker, Fogarty for three of the four Irish provincial teams; Munster, Connacht and Leinster. At international level, Fogarty played for Ireland A and Ireland.
Robert Patrick Herring is a professional rugby union player who plays as a hooker for United Rugby Championship club Ulster. Born in South Africa, he represents Ireland at international level after qualifying on ancestry grounds.
Dave Heffernan is a rugby union player from Ireland. As of 2024, he plays for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro14. Heffernan started his career playing as a flanker, before moving to the position of hooker. He plays his club rugby for Buccaneers. Heffernan has represented the Ireland U20 team.
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John Ricky Riccitelli is a New Zealand professional rugby union footballer who plays as a hooker for New Zealand franchise Blues. In his youth career, he was selected to play in the 2015 World Rugby Under 20 Championships for New Zealand and took part in Francis Douglas Memorial College first XV.
Dominic Robertson-McCoy is a professional rugby union player from New Zealand. He primarily plays as a prop and can play at both loosehead and tighthead. Robertson-McCoy currently plays for Irish provincial side Connacht in the United Rugby Championship. He previously played at provincial level in New Zealand for Northland. Robertson-McCoy is qualified to play for Ireland at international level through his grandfather from Mowhan in County Armagh.
Adam McBurney is an Irish rugby union player who currently plays for Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship.
Declan Moore is a New Zealand-born, Australian rugby union player who plays for Anthem Rugby Carolina in Major League Rugby (MLR). He plays as a hooker.
Michael McDonald is an Irish Australian rugby union player who currently plays for the Irish team Connacht, on loan from Ulster, both of whom compete in the United Rugby Championship (URC). His playing position is scrum-half. He signed to the professional team, the New South Wales Waratahs, in the Super Rugby, for the 2020 season. Ulster announced in July 2022 that McDonald would be joining them on a one-year deal. He was selected for the Emerging Ireland squad for the Toyota Challenge in South Africa in September 2022. In April 2023 it was announced he would move to Connacht on a season-long loan.
The 2022–23 season was Ulster Rugby's 29th season since the advent of professionalism in rugby union. They competed in the United Rugby Championship and the European Rugby Champions Cup. It was Dan McFarland's fifth season as head coach.
References
- ↑ "Southern hemisphere sends Ireland new double centres". Irish Independent . 1 April 1999.
- ↑ "Connacht planning a backlash". Irish Independent. 13 August 1999.
- ↑ "Rugby: Simple for Simon as Irish A team crush Italians". Belfast Telegraph . 10 April 1999.
- ↑ "Former Taranaki hooker Shane McDonald to take charge of Stratford premier side". Stuff.co.nz . 3 March 2015.