Birth name | William Ruane | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date of birth | 10 August 1975 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | County Mayo, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
School | Garbally College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
University | Waterford IT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Occupation(s) | CEO of Connacht Rugby | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Willie Ruane (born 10 August 1975) is an Irish former rugby union player who is chief executive officer of his former team Connacht Rugby. During his playing career he primarily played as a fullback.
Ruane played club rugby for Galwegians, and provincial rugby for Connacht. He featured for Connacht in the Challenge Cup in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons, playing in every one of Connacht's games in each season. [1] Ruane retired from rugby at the age of 25 to take a job with Bank of Ireland. [2]
During his career Ruane represented Ireland youth sides internationally, playing for the national sides at Colleges and under-21 level. [3] He also played for the international invitational side the Barbarians. [4]
After retiring from playing for Connacht, Ruane worked in a variety of roles in different banks in Ireland, including Bank of Ireland, Anglo Irish Bank and Ulster Bank. [5]
In 2014, Ruane took up his current role as CEO of Connacht Rugby. [2]
Ruane was born in County Mayo. He was a pupil at Garbally College in Ballinasloe and received a degree in Business Studies from Waterford IT. [5] Ruane lives in his hometown of Ballina, and is married with three sons, Billy, Tom and Robert.[ citation needed ]
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