Connacht have ignited the hype ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) trip to Dublin by confirming the signing of Ciaran Frawley, one of the stand-out Leinster players in last weekend’s win at Munster.
Stuart Lancaster’s Galway-based side have endured a desperate run of results, losing at Ospreys and Dragons and then at home to Ulster. However, they have put a pep in their step ahead of their daunting trip to Leinster with the capture of Frawley on a two-year deal from the summer of 2026.
Frawley made rugby headlines around the world when he landed the drop goal for Ireland that defeated the Springboks in Durban in July 2024. However, Sam Prendergast’s emergence has since checked his progress as a fly-half at club and country level.
Instead, Frawley’s six starts this season for Leinster have highlighted his versatility, wearing the No.12 shirt on four occasions and getting chosen twice at No.15 – including last Saturday night’s URC victory in Limerick where his tackling was on point.
“His best days are still ahead of him…”
Frawley would have made his Leinster breakthrough when Lancaster was their senior coach under Leo Cullen. That position in recent times has been filled by the more pragmatic Jacques Niebanber, but with Lancaster now in charge at Connacht following his unsuccessful stint at Racing 92, his approach to bring Frawley out west through to the summer of 2028 has proven successful.
The ex-England boss said: “Ciaran’s arrival next season is a real statement of intent by the club. I know him well from my time in Leinster, and I saw him grow from an academy prospect into a key member of the senior squad and play for Ireland also.
“He is still only 28, so I firmly believe his best days are still ahead of him. I’m delighted that the club have been able to secure a player of his calibre. He will be a big asset in the years ahead and, personally, I am really excited about working with him again.”
Frawley added: “I’m really excited to have the opportunity to represent Connacht on and off the field from next season. On my visits to the province with Leinster, I have always been struck by the passion of the supporters there, and the positive brand of rugby the team play.
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“Now with the HPC and redeveloped Dexcom Stadium, it’s a hugely exciting time to be joining the club. I can’t wait to link up with Stuart again, meet all my new team-mates and the wider staff next summer, and help the club bring success to the province in the years ahead.
“I have loved my time at Leinster and I’m really appreciative of all the support from the fans, coaches and team-mates over the last seven years. There is still a lot of work to do and I’m looking forward to finishing the season strongly before the move to Galway in the summer.”
Since making his Leinster debut in February 2018, Frawley has scored over 300 points in over 100 appearances. He made an Ireland Test debut in August 2023 and has a total of nine caps, his last coming in the July rout of Portugal.