CONNACHT HAVE CONFIRMED that forward Josh Murphy has signed a two-year extension which will keep him at the western province until the summer of 2027.
Murphy has started in 11 of his 13 appearances for Connacht this season after stepping away for the 2023/24 campaign to complete a medical internship.
The 30-year-old Murphy has swapped seamlessly between blindside and lock this season for Pete Wilkins’ side, and scored tries in back-to-back Challenge Cup pool games at home to Lyon and away to Cardiff as Connacht reached the knockout phase as the top seed.
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Eoin de Buitléar and David Hawkshaw have also signed new deals for the 2025/26 season.
De Buitléar is a product of the Connacht pathway system, having played his rugby at An Ghaeltacht Rugbai and Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin before coming through the Connacht Academy. He made a try-scoring debut away to Zebre in February 2023, and in total has earned 13 caps since then.
Hawkshaw is in his third season at the club since joining from Leinster in 2022. He’s made 41 appearances in that time, with 24 starts and 8 tries, and can cover 10, 12 or 13.
Dubliner Murphy joined Connacht from Leinster on an initial two-year deal ahead of the 2022/23 season but the contract was staggered to allow him to complete a year-long internship between Dublin and Kilkenny to further his career as a doctor.
Murphy kept himself in rugby shape by representing Clontarf in the AIL during his 12 months away from the professional game.
In all, Murphy has played 31 games for Connacht, starting 28, since his move west almost three years ago.
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Murphy, de Buitléar and Hawkshaw sign new deals with Connacht
CONNACHT HAVE CONFIRMED that forward Josh Murphy has signed a two-year extension which will keep him at the western province until the summer of 2027.
Murphy has started in 11 of his 13 appearances for Connacht this season after stepping away for the 2023/24 campaign to complete a medical internship.
The 30-year-old Murphy has swapped seamlessly between blindside and lock this season for Pete Wilkins’ side, and scored tries in back-to-back Challenge Cup pool games at home to Lyon and away to Cardiff as Connacht reached the knockout phase as the top seed.
Eoin de Buitléar and David Hawkshaw have also signed new deals for the 2025/26 season.
De Buitléar is a product of the Connacht pathway system, having played his rugby at An Ghaeltacht Rugbai and Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin before coming through the Connacht Academy. He made a try-scoring debut away to Zebre in February 2023, and in total has earned 13 caps since then.
Hawkshaw is in his third season at the club since joining from Leinster in 2022. He’s made 41 appearances in that time, with 24 starts and 8 tries, and can cover 10, 12 or 13.
Dubliner Murphy joined Connacht from Leinster on an initial two-year deal ahead of the 2022/23 season but the contract was staggered to allow him to complete a year-long internship between Dublin and Kilkenny to further his career as a doctor.
Murphy kept himself in rugby shape by representing Clontarf in the AIL during his 12 months away from the professional game.
In all, Murphy has played 31 games for Connacht, starting 28, since his move west almost three years ago.
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