Player

Will Connors

Back-row - Leinster - Clongowes Wood College - UCD

Profile

Will Connors' pathway runs through North Kildare RFC, Clongowes Wood College, UCD and the Leinster Academy. He is one of the more distinctive players in the group because his reputation has always been tied to one elite skill: the chop tackle. That defensive speciality became a central part of his Leinster and Ireland identity.

Connors came through Clongowes Wood College and UCD before making his Leinster debut in 2017. His senior career has been shaped by both high impact and repeated injury interruption. At his best, he became one of the most disruptive defensive back-row forwards in Irish rugby, earning senior Ireland caps and building a reputation as a player who could change the speed and height of a defensive set.

His profile also has an unusual academic angle. Connors has pursued work around tackle technique and safety, including PhD-level research linked to optimising the tackle. That makes his story different from the standard player pathway: his playing identity and academic interest point towards the same part of the game.

By 2025/26, Connors remains part of the Leinster senior picture but his next move has already been confirmed. He will join Connacht ahead of the 2026/27 season, reuniting with Stuart Lancaster and adding another Leinster-to-Connacht pathway to the current squad. His profile links North Kildare RFC, Clongowes Wood College, UCD, Leinster, Ireland U20, senior Ireland and Connacht.

Linked Public Pages

• Clongowes Wood College
• UCD

Related Matches

Public Honours And Pathway Tags

• SEVENS