Tiernan O'Halloran to enter into 15th season with Connacht Rugby

Connacht’s longest serving player, Tiernan O’Halloran, has extended his contract for the 2023/24 season.

The full-back made his debut as an 18-year-old in October 2009, and next season will become his 15th in the professional set-up.

The Clifden native has made 218 provincial appearances for Connacht as well as six appearances for the Irish national team, and was a try scorer in the 2016 Pro 12 Grand Final.

Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins said: “Tiernan has seen it all during his time with us so it’s great that we can count on that experience again next season. Some of his performances this year have been among his very best, and I’m sure he’ll continue to play a valuable role as we continue to grow and build as a squad.”

Meanwhile, Connacht Rugby has also announced the signing of Australian-born, Irish-qualified Liam McNamara for the 2023/24 season.

McNamara is currently a member of the Ireland Sevens squad, where he more recently featured in the World Rugby Singapore Sevens last week.

The 26-year-old was previously a member of the Australian Sevens squad for three years, where he was coached by current Connacht Director of Rugby, Andy Friend. He was also previously capped for Australia Under 20s in the XVs game and was a member of the Queensland Reds squad for the 2018/19 Super Rugby campaign.

McNamara was born in Brisbane and qualifies for Ireland through his father, who was born in Dublin.

Said Wilkins: “We have been tracking Liam's development over recent seasons and he has made a great impression both in the XVs and Sevens game. He is a player who has experience across almost every position in the backline, from the back three to midfield and fly-half, so provides us with multiple options and helps to further build our depth for next season. In that regard, Liam is the perfect addition to our squad and we're excited to welcome him to Connacht Rugby.”

McNamara commented: “I’m delighted to be joining Connacht next season. I’ve loved my time playing for the Ireland Sevens, so to now play XVs rugby in the URC is a brilliant opportunity for me. I know many Aussie-born players have made an impression when joining the club and I hope to make a similar impact.”