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.
Daniel Arthur Parks is an Australian-born former Scotland international rugby union player and now coach. His primary playing position was at fly-half.
John Muldoon is an Irish rugby union coach and former player. He is currently the forwards coach for the Bristol Bears.
Michael Swift is an English former rugby union player. Swift played rugby professionally for 17 years and spent most of his career with Irish provincial team Connacht. He retired from playing in 2015. Though he originally played both as a flanker and a lock, Swift played almost exclusively in the second row later in his career.
Lee Jones is a Scotland international rugby union player. He played for Glasgow Warriors in the Pro14. He plays primarily at Wing but can also cover at Scrum-half.
Ronan Loughney is a retired professional rugby union player from Ireland. He played as a prop. Having started his career playing at loosehead, Loughney moved to tighthead in the 2011–12 season, but primarily played as a loosehead again until his retirement in 2017.
George Naoupu is a former professional rugby union player from New Zealand and current director of rugby at Gonzaga_College in Dublin. He played at number 8, as a flanker or in the second row.
Eoin McKeon is a rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily played in the back row. McKeon played for his native province of Connacht in the Pro14 from 2010 to 2020. He played his club rugby for Galwegians.
Alastair William "Aly" Muldowney is an English-born professional rugby union player. He is a versatile forward, being able to play in both the second row and as a flanker. Muldowney currently plays for Gallagher Premiership club Bristol Bears.
Apirana Pewhairangi is an Ireland international rugby league footballer who last played as a five-eighth or centre for the Te Atatu Roosters in the Auckland Rugby League. He previously played for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL, the Wentworthville Magpies and New Zealand Warriors in the NSW Cup, and the London Broncos in the Betfred Championship.
Jake Heenan is a rugby union player from New Zealand. He plays primarily as an openside flanker. Heenan currently plays for English side Bristol. He played for Connacht from 2013 to 2018, winning a Pro12 title with the side in 2016. In March 2020 renewed his contract with Bristol for the 2020/21 season. Having reached the semi-finals of the Gallagher Premiership finals Heenan both captained and played number 8 on a number of occasions. Heenan was integral in the Bears first European trophy with Challenge Cup victory over Toulon.
Darragh Leader is a retired rugby player from Ireland. His primary position is at fullback, though he has also played on the wing. Leader plays for Connacht in the Pro14, having come through Connacht's academy.
Shane Patrick O'Leary is an Irish-born professional rugby union player who represents Canada at the international level. He primarily plays at fly-half, but has also played as a centre. O'Leary currently plays for Pro D2 side Rouen, and for the Toronto Arrows in Major League Rugby (MLR).
Dan McFarland is an English rugby union coach and former player. He has been head coach of Ulster Rugby since 2018.
The 2015–16 season was Irish provincial rugby union side Connacht Rugby's fifteenth season competing in the Pro12, and the team's twentieth season as a professional side. It was Pat Lam's third season in charge of the side. Connacht finished the season as league champions after defeating Leinster in the 2016 Pro12 Grand Final, the team's first trophy in its 131-year history.
Shane Delahunt is a professional rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily plays as a hooker. Delahunt currently plays for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro14.
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 Pro14. 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.
Nigel Carolan is a rugby union coach from Ireland. He is currently the Assistant coach to Scottish United Rugby Championship side Glasgow Warriors. He was previously a Backs coach at Connacht. Before becoming a coach Carolan represented Connacht as a player, but was forced to retire due to injury in 2000.
The 2022–23 EPCR Challenge Cup was the 9th edition of the EPCR Challenge Cup, an annual second-tier rugby union competition for professional clubs. Including the predecessor competition, the original European Challenge Cup, this is the 27th edition of European club rugby's second-tier competition.
