Gleeson Pens Two-Year Contract Extension With Munster
Tipperary native Brian Gleeson is pictured in BKT United Rugby Championship action for Munster against Edinburgh ©Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Munster Rugby and the IRFU have confirmed a two-year contract extension for Brian Gleeson that will keep him at the province until at least 2028.
The powerful 21-year-old back rowers has scored two tries in 26 senior appearancs for Munster after coming up through the ranks at Thurles RFC, Rockwell College, and Garryowen FC.
Gleeson joined the province’s Academy in the summer of 2023 and made his Munster senior debut against the Hollywoodbets Sharks in the opening game of the 2023/24 season.
Hailing from Loughmore, County Tipperary, he got his first taste of Champions Cup rugby at the age of 19, playing against Exeter Chiefs in December 2023.
After impressing in his 10 senior appearances in his first year of the Academy and winning the Academy Player of the Year award, he was promoted to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
At international level, Gleeson was called up by Andy Farrell to the Ireland senior squad last October, but missed out due to a fractured elbow.
While still eligible for the Ireland Under-19s in 2023, he played in the Under-20 Six Nations and was a standout performer as the Ireland U-20s clinched the Grand Slam, winning two player-of-the-match awards.
He was part of the Ireland U-20 side that reached the World Rugby U-20 Championship final in South Africa, before featuring again in the 2024 U-20 Six Nations as Ireland finished second and then reached the last-four of the World Rugby U-20 Championship.
Despite missing a number of months following surgery on his elbow, Gleeson has made seven appearances for Munster so far this season, featuring off the bench against Ulster, Toulon, and Castres Olympique in recent weeks.