Ins: JJ Hanrahan (Connacht), Dan Kelly (Leicester Tigers)
Outs: Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Stephen Archer and Dave Kilcoyne (all retired)
Final season: Quarter-finalists
First 5 video games: Scarlets (A), Cardiff (H), Edinburgh (H), Leinster (A), Connacht (H)
Prospects: Maybe one other unusual season down at Thomond Park was finest epitomised by the aspect’s URC exit, the all the time weird sight of a place-kicks competitors in opposition to the Sharks bringing the curtain down on their season in Durban.
It had been a tumultuous marketing campaign as much as that time with the person who delivered the URC title in 2023, Graham Rowntree, departing in October after a run of two wins from six to begin the season.
Head of rugby operations Ian Costello took non permanent cost of issues and delivered an enormous victory away to La Rochelle within the final 16 of the Champions Cup, earlier than the aspect in the end confirmed their place on this season’s top-tier European competitors with a sixth-place end within the league.
Much like Stuart Lancaster’s arrival in Connacht, the hiring of Clayton McMillan represents one thing of a training coup. The New Zealander arrives after taking the Chiefs to 3 successive Tremendous Rugby finals and his ticket is boosted by having Alex Codling obtainable to work with the forwards full-time after splitting his time with the ladies’s nationwide aspect final season.
Dan Kelly, Irish-qualified as soon as once more after a solitary England cap in 2021, is an intriguing addition, whereas JJ Hanrahan returns to again up Jack Crowley for what will likely be a 3rd spell together with his native province.
Fairly other than a brand new head coach, the retirements of Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, Stephen Archer and Dave Kilcoyne, in addition to the departure of Rory Scannell, give the sensation of a brand new period within the southern province.
