ENGLISH CHAMPIONSHIP CLUB Jersey Reds have confirmed the signings of second row Sean O’Connor and prop Ciaran Parker, who Munster had already confirmed to be leaving the province this summer.
23-year-old Tipperary man O’Connor made nine senior appearances for Munster in total – the bulk of them in the 2017/18 season – after coming through the province’s academy.
Cashel RFC and Rockwell College product O’Connor was part of the Ireland U20s team that reached a World Championship final in 2016, while he played his club rugby with Garryowen in recent years.
The Irish lock will make the move to Jersey this summer, where he will be joined by 24-year-old tighthead Parker.
A former England underage international, Parker is Irish-qualified and signed for Munster from Sale Sharks in 2017. He made 13 senior appearances in total, including a Champions Cup debut off the bench against Castres last season.
The Stockport native now returns to English rugby as Munster bring in Roman Salanoa from Leinster and promote Keynan Knox from their academy ahead of next season.
Jersey Reds director of rugby Harvey Biljon said O’Connor is a “specialist second row who will bring some real physicality to our pack,” while the addition of Parker and several other new front row players will be key to the aim of delivering scrum quality.
“We intend to maintain the reputation of Jersey as somewhere where the set-piece is a strength,” said Biljon.
“I have worked with our new forwards coach Rob Webber to identify players who we think will be real assets to our squad once we are able to get together for pre-season.”
Jersey have finished in the top half of the Championship for the last five consecutive seasons.