This year's Connacht Academy squad includes an intake of eight players into Year 1 of the programme, four of whom have come through the province's pathway system.
They are full-back Cian Brady and back rower Charlie Keane, who both hail from Galway, Mayo native Rory Lyons, and Leitrim-raised lock and Spain Under-20 international Liam McNamee.
Also joining the Academy is hooker Duinn Maguire, props Adam Cooper and Luke Murtagh, and completing the Year 1 intake is South African-born centre Rourke O'Sullivan who joined the programme midway through this past season.
Keane, Maguire, and Cooper are currently in Georgia with the Ireland Under-20 Men's squad, and are all set to start up front in tomorrow's World Rugby Junior World Championship pool match against the USA.
Eight of last season's nine Year 1 players have progressed into Year 2, four of whom – Albert Lindner, and current Ireland U-20 internationals Daniel Ryan (pictured below), Seán Walsh, and Mikey Yarr – have already made senior appearances for Connacht.
Back rowers Aaron O'Brien, Diarmaid O'Connell, and Bobby Power, plus lock David Walsh, complete the Year 2 players.
Galway Corinthians flanker Max Flynn has progressed into Year 3, and he will be joined by back-three player James Nicholson who missed all of the 2025/26 campaign due to a foot injury.
CONNACHT RUGBY ACADEMY SQUAD - 2026/27 SEASON:
YEAR 1 -
Cian Brady – Back-Three
Adam Cooper – Loosehead Prop
Charlie Keane – Back Rower
Rory Lyons – Loosehead Prop
Duinn Maguire - Hooker
Liam McNamee - Lock
Luke Murtagh – Tighthead Prop
Rourke O'Sullivan – Centre
YEAR 2 -
Albert Lindner – Scrum Half
Aaron O'Brien – Back Rower
Diarmaid O'Connell – Back Rower
Bobby Power – Back Rower
Daniel Ryan – Back-Three
David Walsh – Lock
Seán Walsh – Centre
Mikey Yarr – Hooker
YEAR 3 -
Max Flynn – Back Rower
James Nicholson – Back-Three
