CONNACHT ARE SET to sign openside flanker Will Connors from Leinster ahead of next season.
The 42 understands that the 29-year-old, who has nine caps for Ireland, will make the move west this summer and be reunited with Stuart Lancaster, who previously coached him in Leinster.
Kildare man Connors is set to join current Leinster team-mate Ciarán Frawley in signing for Connacht, with the western province having already confirmed the addition of Frawley ahead of next season.
Connors played some of the best rugby of his career under Lancaster when the now Connacht boss was previously with Leinster.
Advertisement
Back row Connors was particularly impressive for Leinster during the 2019/20 season, leading to his Ireland debut against Italy in a rescheduled 2020 Six Nations clash.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell capped the hard-tackling back row eight more times in 2020 and 2021, but Connors hasn’t featured in the green jersey again since.
He has been severely hampered by injuries in recent years, but has remained a trusted operator for Leinster when fit. Connors started the Champions Cup final against Toulouse in 2024, having also been at number seven against La Rochelle twice that season.
While injuries certainly haven’t helped, Connors hasn’t played as much first-team rugby for Leinster in the last couple of seasons and is now set to take his skillset elsewhere with this move to Connacht.
The signing of Connors is another piece of Lancaster’s plans to improve the Connacht squad next season, with the western province likely to bring in a couple of further signings on top of the confirmed addition of out-half Frawley.
A large number of the current Connacht squad are out of contract at the end of this season, so there is likely to be some turnover as Lancaster moulds the group as he sees fit.
Connors will hope to be a key man for Connacht under Lancaster next season, potentially allowing him to force his way back into the mix with Ireland.
He is highly regarded as an elite tackler, but it’s thought that Connacht believe Connors has plenty to offer in attack too.
Having returned from injury, Connors’ most recent appearance for Leinster was against Lancaster’s Connacht in Dublin earlier this month. He will hope to finish his time with his native province on a high before making the move west.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
52 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Connacht set to sign Will Connors from Leinster
CONNACHT ARE SET to sign openside flanker Will Connors from Leinster ahead of next season.
The 42 understands that the 29-year-old, who has nine caps for Ireland, will make the move west this summer and be reunited with Stuart Lancaster, who previously coached him in Leinster.
Kildare man Connors is set to join current Leinster team-mate Ciarán Frawley in signing for Connacht, with the western province having already confirmed the addition of Frawley ahead of next season.
Connors played some of the best rugby of his career under Lancaster when the now Connacht boss was previously with Leinster.
Back row Connors was particularly impressive for Leinster during the 2019/20 season, leading to his Ireland debut against Italy in a rescheduled 2020 Six Nations clash.
Ireland boss Andy Farrell capped the hard-tackling back row eight more times in 2020 and 2021, but Connors hasn’t featured in the green jersey again since.
He has been severely hampered by injuries in recent years, but has remained a trusted operator for Leinster when fit. Connors started the Champions Cup final against Toulouse in 2024, having also been at number seven against La Rochelle twice that season.
While injuries certainly haven’t helped, Connors hasn’t played as much first-team rugby for Leinster in the last couple of seasons and is now set to take his skillset elsewhere with this move to Connacht.
The signing of Connors is another piece of Lancaster’s plans to improve the Connacht squad next season, with the western province likely to bring in a couple of further signings on top of the confirmed addition of out-half Frawley.
A large number of the current Connacht squad are out of contract at the end of this season, so there is likely to be some turnover as Lancaster moulds the group as he sees fit.
Connors will hope to be a key man for Connacht under Lancaster next season, potentially allowing him to force his way back into the mix with Ireland.
He is highly regarded as an elite tackler, but it’s thought that Connacht believe Connors has plenty to offer in attack too.
Having returned from injury, Connors’ most recent appearance for Leinster was against Lancaster’s Connacht in Dublin earlier this month. He will hope to finish his time with his native province on a high before making the move west.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Connacht Leinster Switch Will Connors