LEINSTER’S CAPTURE OF Jordie Barrett on a six-month contract next season sparked lively debate across the rugby world but especially within the Irish game.
Signings from abroad have long been part of Irish rugby, with these transfers split into three categories: non-Irish-qualified [NIQ], Irish-qualified [IQ], and project players.
Project players were those signed with the idea of becoming Irish-qualified via the old three-year residency rule. With World Rugby having changed the residency period to five years from 2021, the project player era appears to be over unless unions like the IRFU begin recruiting players from abroad at a younger age with that five-year term in mind.
Irish rugby was among the biggest beneficiaries of the old three-year residency rule, with current key Ireland internationals James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, and Bundee Aki having qualified via that route. It’s fair to say that Ireland would be considerably weaker without those three players.
There has been an increased focus on IQ signings in recent years, with Connacht’s Mack Hansen a roaring success in that regard, while there have also been some highly successful and influential NIQ signings in the provinces over the years.
IRFU performance director David Nucifora started in that newly-created role in the summer of 2014, with his job including oversight on all signings made within the provinces in order to keep national team succession planning at the heart of the IRFU system. Nucifora is departing this summer, with David Humphreys succeeding him.
The provinces themselves still drive the majority of their recruitment, seeking IRFU sign-off on the additions they believe they need.
Leinster bringing in world-class NIQ players Jordie Barrett and RG Snyman next season is a statement of their intent. Meanwhile, Ulster have confirmed the signing of South African wing Werner Kok, while Connacht are bringing in IQ back Piers O’Conor.
Reflecting on the past decade of Irish rugby signings from abroad is fascinating.
There have been many deals which cannot credibly be deemed to have been successful. Some clearly sensible recruits just didn’t work out as hoped for, others were straight-up duds, and there have even been damaging episodes for the provinces in the international market along with several signings that have proved to be strokes of genius.
2014/15 season
Connacht:
The big-name signing out west for this season was 33-year-old Kiwi great Mils Muliaina, who arrived on a one-year contract to become Connacht’s first-ever All Black.
It was November before he played for the first time due to injury and Muliaina only managed 10 starts in total, although head coach Pat Lam raved about the influence the New Zealander had on young Connacht players.
Towards the end of the season, Muliaina was arrested after a Connacht game in Cardiff but he was eventually cleared of the charge and spoke of his frustration about a case of mistaken identity.
Bundee Aki in 2014. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Two other Kiwis joined Connacht in 2014 and proved to have much longer stays. Bundee Aki was a huge coup for Connacht and the IRFU when he arrived from the Chiefs as a project player on a three-year contract.
Aki quickly became a fan favourite in Galway and was capped by Ireland as soon as he was eligible in 2017. Now on a central IRFU contract and with 56 caps to his name, as well as two Lions Test caps, 34-year-old Aki has been a huge success for Irish rugby.
Connacht also signed hooker Tom McCartney on a three-year deal as a project player ahead of the 2014/15 campaign and though he played a pivotal role in Connacht’s Pro12 success in 2016, he never won an Ireland cap despite being eligible.
McCartney – known as ‘The Freak’ due to his physical strength – stayed in Ireland until 2020 before retiring and returning home to New Zealand.
Two NIQ players left Connacht ahead of this season, with Scotland out-half Dan Parks and Kiwi lock Craig Clarke retiring. Former Chiefs man Clarke had joined on a three-real deal in 2013 but concussion forced him to hang his boots up.
Leinster:
Head coach Matt O’Connor brought Wallabies lock Kane Douglas in on a three-year contract but the second row was gone after just one season.
Douglas seemingly failed to settle in Dublin and was keen to return home to chase more Test caps, so Leinster agreed to release him in the summer of 2015 after Rugby Australia paid compensation.
The other signing from abroad this season was rugby league star Ben Te’o, who joined on a two-year contract from the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The powerful centre took time to adapt to union but had obvious physical qualities.
Had Te’o opted to extend his Leinster contract, he would have qualified to play for Ireland in 2017 but England boss Eddie Jones convinced him to join Worcester in 2016. Te’o qualified for England immediately through his family and went on to win 16 caps.
Kiwi centre Andrew Goodman left Leinster ahead of this season but is now back as attack coach and will soon join the Ireland staff, while they also bid farewell to South African lock Quinn Roux - who had joined in 2012 and would soon be IQ – as he moved to Connacht on loan, and Kiwi back row Leo Auva’a, who had qualified for Ireland.
Munster:
The southern province signed experienced Australian centre Andrew Smith on a one-year contract to compensate for the departure of All Black Casey Laulala after two seasons with Munster. Smith featured regularly before moving on to Montpellier.
Kiwi out-half Tyler Bleyendaal was an exciting signing on a three-year deal that made him a project player for Ireland. He had impressed for the New Zealand U20s and Crusaders but his time with Munster was ruined by injuries.
Bleyendaal did train with Ireland under Joe Schmidt at one stage but was forced to retire in 2020. He moved into coaching and will join Leinster as their new attack coach this summer.
Munster also brought in Argentinian international hooker Eusebio Guiñazú early in the seasonon a four-month contract when Mike Sherry was hit by injury. The Mendoza native made an impact and ended up staying for the rest of the campaign, starting the Pro12 final defeat to Glasgow.
Ulster:
There was a relative influx of additions in Ulster ahead of this campaign, including one man who went on to play for Ireland. Kiwi back row Sean Reidy initially arrived on a short-term deal but stayed for eight years. He qualified for Ireland through his Kerry-born grandfather and won two caps in the 2016/17 season.
Louis Ludik became an Ulster centurion. Presseye / William Cherry/INPHO
Presseye / William Cherry/INPHO / William Cherry/INPHO
With All Black tighthead John Afoa leaving the province, Ulster brought in South African prop Wiehahn Herbst as a project player on a three-year deal. Herbst played for Ulster 80 times but though he qualified for Ireland in 2017, he was never capped and returned home in 2019.
Louis Ludik was another signing from South Africa who eventually qualified for Ireland, even if he originally joined Ulster on a two-year deal. He went on to become a centurion for the province and stayed until 2021 but never featured with Ireland.
Springbok-capped lock Franco van der Merwe joined ahead of the 2014/15 season as the popular Johann Muller left after four years of service. Van der Merwe signed on a two-year deal and earned a one-year extension but he left for Cardiff in 2017.
During the season, Ulster brought in Samoan international out-half Mike Stanley on a four-month deal as injury cover, while Kiwi flanker Tim Boys joined on a similar deal but got injured himself before he even had a chance to play.
Aussie flanker Sean Doyle, who was Irish-qualified, left Ulster in the summer of 2014 despite the province wanting to keep him. Doyle opted to join the Brumbies back home.
2015/16 season
Connacht:
Pat Lam brought in a Dublin-born but NIQ out-half for this season in the shape of AJ MacGinty, who had just made his USA debut. MacGinty proved to be a key man in guiding the province to Pro12 success before Connacht had to let him move on after just one season.
The other new faces that summer were the permanent signing of Quinn Roux, who had been on loan the season before and was now IQ, Kiwi flanker Nepia Fox-Matamua, who stayed for his two-year deal and then returned home, and Api Pewhairangi, an IQ rugby league player who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season and didn’t ever get a senior cap.
Leaving Connacht were Kiwi out-half Miah Nikora, who joined in 2009 and had become IQ, former All Black fullback Muliaina, and Tongan back row Mata Fifita, who then switched into rugby league.
Leinster:
The big news in Leinster was the sensational return of Isa Nacewa for his second spell with the province, having retired in 2013 to move back to New Zealand for family reasons.
He coached with the Blues but Nacewa made a stunning return to Leinster in 2015 on a one-year deal. By the end of that first season back, he had extended his deal and been named Leinster captain. His second spell with the province ended with a Champions Cup and Pro14 double success in 2018. Nacewa, capped once by Fiji, goes down as one of the best-ever signings from abroad.
Maori All Blacks second row Hayden Triggs also joined Leinster in the summer of 2015 as Kane Douglas departed, with Triggs extending his contract for a second season before retiring in 2017.
Leinster also said goodbye to Kiwi out-half Jimmy Gopperth ahead of this season. 40-year-old Gopperth is still playing now with Provence in the French second division.
Munster:
As Aussie centre Andrew Smith moved on after one season with Munster, they brought in All Blacks-capped Francis Saili on a two-year deal as their latest addition in midfield. Saili was a fine player but never quite seemed like the right fit.
Wallabies lock Mark Chisholm also joined on two-year deal but he suffered with concussion-related issues and was forced to retire at the end of that contract.
Munster had a few short-term signings from abroad this season, with Uruguay international prop Mario Sagario proving popular and earning an extension until the end of the campaign.
Mario Sagario playing for Munster in 2016. Inpho / Billy Stickland
Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland
Argentina back Lucas González Amorosino came in on a three-month deal, while ex-Ulster flanker Sean Doyle also had a short spell with the province.
Ulster:
This was a quiet season for Ulster as they brought in only the IQ Australian out-half Sam Windsor, who made a handful of appearances in his one season, and IQ English lock Peter Browne, who stayed for three seasons but didn’t feature too regularly.
2016/17 season
Connacht:
The westerners had a busy off-season in terms of additions from abroad, headlined by South African out-half Marnitz Boshoff, who had one Springboks cap. He joined on a two-year contract but was released on compassionate grounds after one season following the death of his father back home.
Fiji international flanker Naulia Dawai also came in on a two-year contract that he saw out before moving on to New Zealand, while future Samoa international centre Stacey Ili did one season and also left for New Zealand.
Irish-qualified tighthead prop Dominic Robertson-McCoy was an unheralded signing from Kiwi rugby and though he hasn’t often been a frontliner, he remains with Connacht to this day.
IQ lock James Cannon, who played underage rugby for his native England, was picked up on a one-year deal and earned a further two-season extension before he returned home.
Cannon joined as the influential IQ lock Aly Muldowney left for Grenoble in the wake of the Pro12 success, while IQ back row GeorgeNaoupu, who had been signed from New Zealand back in 2009,also finished up with the province.
Leinster:
The eastern province made just one addition from abroad ahead of this season and it proved to be a crucial one for Irish rugby.
Kiwi scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park came in as a project player on a three-year deal. He proved to be a bit more of a slow-burner though, backing up Luke McGrath in Leinster right through until the 2020/21 season.
Gibson-Park didn’t come straight into the Ireland squad when he qualified in 2019 but Andy Farrell saw the higher potential and has been richly rewarded since giving him a debut in October 2020. Gibson-Park is set to go onto a central IRFU contract next season and is a crucial figure for Ireland and Leinster.
Ben Te’o moved on from Leinster the same summer, while IQ lock Tom Denton returned to his native England after four seasons in Ireland.
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Munster:
Munster’s recruitment in 2016/17 had a strong South African flavour. Second row Jean Kleyn proved to be an excellent signing as a project player on a three-year deal, even if things became complicated last year.
Kleyn was capped by Ireland in 2019, the year he qualified, but never featured again and switched allegiance back to his native South Africa last year to help them to World Cup glory. He is now an NIQ player for Munster.
Springboks-capped centre Jaco Taute came in on a short-term deal as injury cover for Francis Saili and ended up staying with Munster for three seasons as he earned firm favour on the terraces at Thomond Park.
South African international prop Thomas du Toit played for Munster six times during his short-term spell with the province, while his fellow Springbok Jean Deysel spent the second half of the season on loan with Munster.
Jaco Taute was popular in Munster. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
The other signing came from New Zealand, with hooker Rhys Marshall joining on a three-year deal. He was a project player but never featured for Ireland despite staying until 2021 when he moved back home.
Springboks tighthead BJ Botha left Munster in the summer of 2016, while South African wing Gerhard van den Heever also moved on just before he would have become IQ. Instead, he went on to become a Japan international
Ulster:
There was major excitement around Ulster ahead of the 2016/17 season after they pulled off the major coup of bringing in All Blacks fullback Charles Piutau, who signed a two-year deal and delighted the province’s fans before moving on to Bristol.
Adding to the excitement was the fact that Springboks back row Marcell Coetzee joined on a three-year deal at the same time. Coetzee was desperately unlucky to have his first two seasons in Ulster ruined by knee injury but he fought back to fitness and signed on for another three years.
However, Coetzee returned home to South Africa a year early after Ulster agreed to release him from the final season of that second deal. Ulster were “deeply frustrated,” according to then CEO Jonny Petrie, after Coetzee asked for that early release.
IQ lock Kieran Treadwell joined Ulster in 2016 and had played for Ireland by the following year. He now has 11 Test caps and remains with Ulster.
Brett Herron was an IQ out-half who was used sparingly in his two seasons with Ulster, while Georgian prop Anton Peikrishvili came in on a short-term deal amid injury issues but never featured in a game.
Among the leavers that summer was well-liked Kiwi back row Nick Williams, who had joined in 2012.
2017/18 season
Connacht:
Ahead of head coach Kieran Keane’s one season with the province, Connacht looked for gold in the IQ market as scrum-half James Mitchell - older brother of current England nine Alex – joined for two seasons and Aussie out-half Andrew Deegan signed on a one-year deal.
Deegan played just twice and though Mitchell featured more regularly, he moved back to England in 2019.
Connacht had signed Fijian centre Eroni Vasiteri but that move fell through when he was banned for eye gouging and so the westerners turned instead to Kiwi midfielder Pita Ahki.
Ahki joined on a short-term deal, looked good in his seven appearances, and was keen to extend his contract, but Connacht opted against keeping him. He has gone on to become a crucial player for Toulouse, who face Leinster in this season’s Champions Cup final.
The biggest success of this off-season’s recruitment was Aussie back row Jarrad Butler, who joined from the Brumbies on a three-year contract that would have made him eligible for Ireland in 2020. However, because he wasn’t capped at that stage and with World Rugby changing its regulations to five-year residency, he had to wait until 2022 to become IQ again. He hasn’t featured with Ireland but remains part of the Connacht squad.
Among those leaving Connacht was South African wing Danie Poolman, who had become IQ after joining back in 2012.
Leinster:
There were two more superb bits of recruitment by Leinster this summer. Kiwi wing James Lowe joined as a project player and was capped by Ireland in 2020. He had to adapt to Test rugby but is now a key part of the Leinster and Ireland teams. It was clear when Leinster signed him in 2017 that it was a smart bit of business but Lowe has proven to be an ever bigger success than initially imagined.
James Lowe joined Leinster in 2017. Elena Barbini / INPHO
Elena Barbini / INPHO / INPHO
Also joining Leinster the same summer was Scott Fardy, a proven force at the highest level with the Wallabies. The flanker/lock was an instant hit with the province’s fans as he played a big role in their Champions Cup and Pro14 double in his first season. Fardy ended up staying with Leinster until 2021 and though he left Ireland upon retiring from playing, he is now back as Connacht’s defence coach.
As Lowe and Fardy joined, Leinster bid farewell to second row HaydenTriggs and versatile Springboks back Zane Kirchner, who had been with the province since 2013 and moved on to the Dragons.
Munster:
Munster made a couple more South African signings in this off-season, with breakdown specialist Chris Cloete joining as a project player on a three-year deal. The openside qualified for Ireland in 2020 but never featured with the national team. In 2022, he moved on to Bath where he works with ex-Munster boss Johann van Graan.
The southern province also brought in second row Gerbrandt Grobler on a one-year deal as Mark Chisholm retired. Grobler, clearly a fine player, was unlucky to suffer an ankle injury soon after joining and missed the first half of the season. Munster were criticised in some quarters for signing someone who had served a doping ban from 2014 to 2016 and Grobler left after one season.
They also added IQ prop Ciaran Parker to their squad in the summer of 2017 and he stayed for three seasons but played infrequently before returning to his native England.
Ulster:
The northern province also brought in a couple of South Africans ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, with powerful ex-Munster back row Jean Deysel joining on a two-year deal. He played 13 times in his first season but was forced to retire just months into his second year having struggled with a knee injury.
Loosehead prop Schalk van der Merwe joined on a two-year deal the same summer as Deysel but he was released just four months later after making only four appearances and failing to make an impression.
With Paddy Jackson unavailable, Ulster signed Wallabies out-half Christian Leali’ifano on a five-month deal. The experienced playmaker proved to be popular as he made 17 appearances and left having earned Ulster fan’s favour.
2017 was the summer that much-loved Springboks scrum-half Ruan Pienaar left Ulster to the province’s deep frustration. Pienaar had joined in 2010 and became a pivotal player who the fans loved but despite him wanting to stay and Ulter wanting to keep him, the IRFU decided that he could not be re-contracted due to the union’s succession policy. Still, Pienaar goes down as one of the great NIQ signings.
2018/19 season
Connacht:
The marquee signing for Connacht in the 2018/19 season was supposed to be exciting Fijian wing Sevu Reece, a 21-year-old who had been tearing up the Mitre 10 Cup but hadn’t secured a Super Rugby contract.
However, Connacht cancelled the deal after Reece was charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Reece was fined but discharged without conviction. Connacht and the IRFU subsequently confirmed their decision not to proceed with the signing due to “the circumstances of a recent court appearance.” Reece instead signed for the Crusaders in 2019 and was an All Black later that same year.
Nonetheless, a busy recruitment period saw Connacht bringing in four players from abroad, with an Aussie tinge as Andy Friend took over. Once-capped Wallaby centre Kyle Godwin came in on a two-year deal in which he showed his class before moving home to join the Western Force.
Even more impressive was back row Colby Fainga’a who also came in on a two-year deal and wowed the province’s fans. Connacht were keen to extend his contract but Lyon pounced with an early, strong offer to capture his services.
Out-half David Horwitz was the third man to arrive from Australia on a two-year deal but he didn’t feature heavily during his spell and moved on in 2020.
Colby Fainga'a was excellent for Connacht. Giuseppe Fama / INPHO
Giuseppe Fama / INPHO / INPHO
Connacht also added IQ lock Joe Maksimyw from Leicester the same summer but he was another to leave after an initial two-year deal as he joined the Dragons.
Among those to depart Connacht in 2018 was back row Jake Heenan, who had arrived from his native New Zealand in 2013, qualified to play for Ireland but hadn’t featured in the national squad.
Leinster:
Wallabies centre Joe Tomane joined Leinster on a two-year deal ahead of the 2018/19 campaign as Isa Nacewa retired for the second time.
Tomane had a challenging first season with the province as he suffered a serious hamstring injury and he was never quite able to consistently show the quality that had earned him 17 caps for Australia. He left for Japanese club rugby in 2020.
Munster:
Springboks-capped back row Arno Botha joinedon a one-year contract and after making an early impression at number eight, the abrasive South African had his deal extended by another season.
He played less frequently in his second season before moving home to join the Bulls.
Former All Blacks scrum-half Alby Mathewson joined on a short-term deal just before the season started to provide cover for the injured Conor Murray and ended up staying for a total of 15 months, extending his contract twice as he made a positive impression.
Such was his impact that Mathewson challenged Murray for the starting number nine shirt when the latter was back playing. Mathewson departed in November 2019 with fond wishes from the Munster faithful.
Johann van Graan’s men also brought in IQ fullback Mike Haley from Sale Sharks in the summer of 2018 and he proved to be an excellent signing. Haley has played for Munster more than 100 times and was capped once by Ireland in 2019 but hasn’t featured again since.
Ulster:
Dan McFarland’s side also made an astute IQ signing from England in the shape of Will Addison, who swiftly made his Ireland debut in November 2018 and has won five caps. Unfortunately, the classy fullback/centre has had no luck with injuries in his time at Ulster but his team-mates have always spoken highly of his influence behind the scenes.
Out-half Billy Burns was the other IQ signing for Ulster in 2018 as he came in following the departure of Paddy Jackson. Burns made his Ireland debut in 2020 and won seven caps but hasn’t featured in recent years. He has been Ulster’s first-choice out-half since joining but will leave for Munster this summer.
Ulster also excited their fans by bringing in Wallabies wing Henry Speight on a six-month contract as injury cover. He featured prominently in that time, making 12 starts and scoring three tries.
2019/20 season
Connacht:
The westerners brought in two more players from Australian rugby in 2018, with 7s flyer John Porch joining after working under Friend in the past. He proved to be a fine addition with his electric finishing and toughness out wide, although he has had injury frustrations more recently. Porch could become Irish-qualified this year.
Mid-season, Connacht brought in IQ back three player Will Goddard from Australia on a short-term injury cover basis. He never played for Connacht but did feature for the Ireland 7s team.
Leinster:
Leinster didn’t make any signings from abroad ahead of this season.
Munster:
In a quiet season of recruitment, Munster’s only addition from outside the country was Aussie back row/lock Jed Holloway on a two-month deal as World Cup cover.
Ulster:
Wallabies lock Sam Carter joined Ulster on a two-year contract ahead of the 2019/20 season and though he wasn’t always a first-choice starter, he had his deal extended by another two seasons in 2021. Carter left for Leicester last summer without ever having fully won over Ulster’s supporters.
Sam Carter spent four seasons with Ulster. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Pacy Kiwi back Matt Faddes had some strong moments for the province after joining on a two-year deal but was unlucky to suffer a shoulder injury in his first season, cutting that campaign short. He wasn’t offered a new deal in 2021 and returned to New Zealand.
Heavyweight prop Gareth Milasinovich, who can play on both sides of the front row, joined from Worcester in 2019 and came with IQ status. He suffered an ACL injury soon after arriving and though he ended up staying for four seasons, things never took off for the South African. He left for French club Valance Romans last year.
2020/21 season
Connacht:
Encouraged by the success of John Porch, Friend’s Connacht brought in another Aussie 7s international in the NIQ Ben O’Donnell, who joined on a two-year deal but only played seven times in two two season.
That was partly due to injury but also because Connacht could only field two ‘ANZAC’ players per game. Porch is also ANZAC and so was Jarrad Butler until he got his Irish citizenship after O’Donnell had left.
NIQ back row Abraham Papali’i was an under-the-radar addition for Connacht, having only recently switched to union from rugby league. The explosive Kiwi number eight was sent off on his Connacht debut and again soon after returning from suspension but earned a one-year extension before leaving for the French Top 14, where he is now playing for Castres.
Leinster:
It was another quiet off-season for Leinster, although IQ prop Ciaran Parker, who had previously been with Munster, joined on a three-month deal to cover injuries at one stage of the campaign.
Munster:
In contrast, the 2020/21 season was a huge one for Munster as they signed two world-class players in Springboks duo Damian de Allende and RG Snyman, who had helped their country to the 2019 World Cup title.
Both joined on two-year deals, with Snyman deeply unlucky to rupture his ACL on his Munster debut. That signalled a luckless injury run at the province but he had his deal extended by another two years. Snyman returned from injury to help Munster to last season’s URC success and is back playing superbly now but will depart for Leinster at the end of this season.
De Allende left after his initial two-year contract, returning to Japanese club rugby. He delivered some top-class performances on big occasions for Munster but never quite looked like someone who would end up staying for a longer haul.
IQ fullback Matt Gallagher was the other addition in 2020, joining on a two-year deal but playing only 13 games in that time due to injuries and then struggling to force his way into the team. He is now playing under van Graan in Bath.
Ulster:
Ex-Munster man Alby Mathewson was an interesting addition for Ulster, the veteran halfback joining on a one-year deal and playing 18 times as he also imparted his knowledge on younger players, as had been the case in Munster.
IQ hooker Bradley Roberts, a native of South Africa, also came into the fold during the season after impression in the AIL with Rainey Old Boys and earned himself a one-year deal for the 2020/21 campaign. He also qualified for Wales and was capped by them in 2021, leading to a move to Dragons in 2022.
2021/22 season
Connacht:
Connacht made one of the signings of the decade when they brought IQ wing Mack Hansen to Galway after he had found his opportunities with the Brumbies limited.
Hansen qualifies for Ireland through his mother and after a flying start to life with Connacht, he made his Test debut in the 2022 Six Nations and has never looked back, quickly becoming a key man for Andy Farrell’s side. Hansen was a gift to Irish rugby from Andy Friend.
Tonga international lock Leva Fifita came in on a two-season contract and though he had some strong performances in that time, his Connacht career never really caught light and he left for Oyonnax in 2023.
Mack Hansen after joining in 2021. Tommy Dickson / INPHO
Tommy Dickson / INPHO / INPHO
Samoan prop Tietie Tuimauga joined in October 2021 until the end of the season to cover for Denis Buckley after his ACL injury. NIQ Tuimauga played well in his 10 appearances but left in 2022 and now plays in the French Pro D2.
South African back Shayne Bolton was an unheralded signing at the time but he is an IQ player and has shown his potential this season when fit, impressing on the wing with his physicality and pace.
Leinster:
With Andrew Porter switching back over to loosehead prop, Leinster brought in Samoa international Michael Ala’alatoa on a three-year deal to provide back-up for Tadhg Furlong at tighthead.
He brought nous and a strong skillset from his time with the Crusaders but will leave for Clermont this summer.
Munster:
After the shock retirement of back row CJ Stander in the summer of 2021, Munster went late to the market and ended up signing once-capped Springbok lock Jason Jenkins.
He was unlucky with injuries during his one-year spell in Munster and played in the second row when he was fit before moving on to Leinster in the summer of 2022. Jenkins will return to South Africa at the end of this season to join the Sharks.
IQ hooker DeclanMoore, a former Australia U20 international,also joined Munster for the 2021/22 season but played just once, joined Ulster on loan and then permanently but played only three times, and moved to Connacht on loan but didn’t feature at all. He signed for American club Anthem Rugby Carolina earlier this year.
Ulster:
Springbok and World Cup-winner Duane Vermeulen was the big-name recruit for Ulster, bringing major experience to the number eight shirt after joining on a two-year deal.
Ulster were happy with his impact and his knowledge seemingly rubbed off on younger players but he possibly didn’t have the explosive impact that supporters would have hoped for.
2022/23 season
Connacht:
NIQ back row Shamus Hurley-Langton was an under-the-radar addition from provincial rugby in New Zealand. The back row had missed out on a Super Rugby deal and proved to be a smart addition by Connacht. The 24-year-old’s recent contract extension keeps him in Connacht until 2026 and he would qualify for Ireland in 2027 if he stayed until then.
Wing/centre Byron Ralston came in from the Western Force, bringing IQ status thanks to his grandmother from Donegal. The 24-year-old has been a powerful presence and also recently signed a new deal to keep him with Connacht until 2026.
Scottish international hooker Grant Stewart joined on a short-term deal in the summer of 2022 to cover for injuries and played for the province four times before heading back to Scotland.
Leinster:
Former All Blacks centre Charlie Ngatai was Leinster’s big signing of the summer, joining on a two-year deal that is set to expire this summer.
Ngatai has been unlucky with injuries but brings quality whenever he plays and has even covered fullback once against Ulster. The 33-year-old recently returned from injury and will hope to finish his time with Leinster on a high.
Leinster also brought in Jason Jenkins from Munster on a two-year contract in the summer of 2022. The South African lock got off to a flyer in his first season but was then slowed up by injury. Like Ngatai, he will hope to end his spell in Ireland with trophy success in the coming weeks.
Munster:
With the high-profile Damian de Allende leaving, Munster brought in Tonga international Malakai Fekitoa to replace him as an NIQ centre.
Malakai Fekitoa played a key part in Munster's URC success. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Fekitoa signed a one-year deal that seemingly had the option of a second season but he fell out of favour early in the season and that extension wasn’t triggered. However, Fekitoa returned to excellent form in the second half of the campaign and was a starting player in their run to the URC title, leaving for Benetton with the respect of Munster fans.
Fekitoa was partnered in midfield by Antoine Frisch, a surprise signing from Bristol in the summer of 2022 given that his IQ status had not been widely known. Frisch joined Munster on a three-year deal and soon played for Emerging Ireland, stating his aim of winning Irish caps at senior level.
He has become a creative influence for Munster but now looks set to leave for Toulon this summer despite having a year left on his contract. Frisch trained with France during this year’s Six Nations and has now stated his aim of playing for les Bleus.
Munster brought in a second IQ centre in 2022 with Oli Morris joining after the collapse of Worcester Warriors. However, the one-time Ireland U20 squad member never played for the province and was released last year.
Hooker Chris Moore was another IQ signing that summer. He has never played for Munster but signed a one-year contract extension to cover the current campaign. Moore is currently on loan with the Ospreys.
Scotland international lock Kiran McDonald joined during the 2022/23 season on a three-month deal as injury cover, playing three times before he left.
Ulster:
Ulster also looked to the IQ market in 2022 as combative flanker Sean Reffell joined from Saracens. He has had little luck on the injury front but has done enough to earn a two-year contract extension until 2026.
Hooker Declan Moore came in from Munster permanently but rarely played, while Ireland native Michael McDonald, who played scrum-half for the Australia U20s, joined but played just twice. McDonald is currently on loan to Connacht.
There were two NIQ prop signings for Ulster in the 2022/23 season, with Samoan international tighthead Jeff Toomaga-Allen proving a popular, impactful addition for his one-year deal. Ulster fans would have liked to see his deal extended but he is now with the Reds in Super Rugby.
Scotland international loosehead Rory Sutherland joined in October after Worcester Warriors folded but wasn’t quite able to hit his best form across 12 appearances before moving on.
2023/24 season
Connacht:
Argentina wing/fullback Santiago Cordero was the marquee signing for Connacht ahead of the current season but was cruelly injured before he got a chance to play. He is due back soon from his ACL injury and has another season left on his contract.
New Zealand native Sean Jansen arrived from Leicester Tigers with IQ status and has looked powerful at number eight whenever available, which has been limited by injuries.
Connacht also added IQ wing Liam McNamara to their squad after the Australian native had featured for the Ireland 7s but he played only twice this season and was granted an early release from his contract in March to return home.
Munster:
As Malakai Fekitoa moved on to Benetton, the next NIQ midfield addition for Munster was New Zealander Alex Nankivell, who has proven to be a superb signing.
The former Chiefs man quickly won over Munster supporters with his abrasive, all-action performances and will continue to be a key man next season. 27-year-old Nankivell’s contract expires in 2025. He would need to hang around in Ireland until 2028 to become IQ.
Leinster:
Leo Cullen’s men didn’t bring in any players from abroad last summer.
Ulster:
Springbok World Cup-winner Steven Kitshoff was the big-name signing ahead of this season in Ulster but he has already departed home to South Africa.
Kitshoff joined on a three-year deal, although the third year is believed to have been optional, but is being released now as Ulster deal with financial constraints. Kitshoff had some good performances for the province without lighting the place up. His only season with Ulster was ended by a knee injury.
Zimbabwe native Dave Ewers came in as an NIQ back row after the departure of Duane Vermeulen. Ewers had been a consistent performer for Exeter but hasn’t hit those heights in Ulster and is expected to leave this summer.
- This article was updated at 2.01pm to add the paragraph relating to Ruan Pienaar in the 2017/18 season section.
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NIQs, projects, and IQs: A decade of Irish rugby signings from abroad
LEINSTER’S CAPTURE OF Jordie Barrett on a six-month contract next season sparked lively debate across the rugby world but especially within the Irish game.
Signings from abroad have long been part of Irish rugby, with these transfers split into three categories: non-Irish-qualified [NIQ], Irish-qualified [IQ], and project players.
Project players were those signed with the idea of becoming Irish-qualified via the old three-year residency rule. With World Rugby having changed the residency period to five years from 2021, the project player era appears to be over unless unions like the IRFU begin recruiting players from abroad at a younger age with that five-year term in mind.
Irish rugby was among the biggest beneficiaries of the old three-year residency rule, with current key Ireland internationals James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, and Bundee Aki having qualified via that route. It’s fair to say that Ireland would be considerably weaker without those three players.
There has been an increased focus on IQ signings in recent years, with Connacht’s Mack Hansen a roaring success in that regard, while there have also been some highly successful and influential NIQ signings in the provinces over the years.
IRFU performance director David Nucifora started in that newly-created role in the summer of 2014, with his job including oversight on all signings made within the provinces in order to keep national team succession planning at the heart of the IRFU system. Nucifora is departing this summer, with David Humphreys succeeding him.
The provinces themselves still drive the majority of their recruitment, seeking IRFU sign-off on the additions they believe they need.
Leinster bringing in world-class NIQ players Jordie Barrett and RG Snyman next season is a statement of their intent. Meanwhile, Ulster have confirmed the signing of South African wing Werner Kok, while Connacht are bringing in IQ back Piers O’Conor.
Reflecting on the past decade of Irish rugby signings from abroad is fascinating.
There have been many deals which cannot credibly be deemed to have been successful. Some clearly sensible recruits just didn’t work out as hoped for, others were straight-up duds, and there have even been damaging episodes for the provinces in the international market along with several signings that have proved to be strokes of genius.
2014/15 season
Connacht:
The big-name signing out west for this season was 33-year-old Kiwi great Mils Muliaina, who arrived on a one-year contract to become Connacht’s first-ever All Black.
It was November before he played for the first time due to injury and Muliaina only managed 10 starts in total, although head coach Pat Lam raved about the influence the New Zealander had on young Connacht players.
Towards the end of the season, Muliaina was arrested after a Connacht game in Cardiff but he was eventually cleared of the charge and spoke of his frustration about a case of mistaken identity.
Two other Kiwis joined Connacht in 2014 and proved to have much longer stays. Bundee Aki was a huge coup for Connacht and the IRFU when he arrived from the Chiefs as a project player on a three-year contract.
Aki quickly became a fan favourite in Galway and was capped by Ireland as soon as he was eligible in 2017. Now on a central IRFU contract and with 56 caps to his name, as well as two Lions Test caps, 34-year-old Aki has been a huge success for Irish rugby.
Connacht also signed hooker Tom McCartney on a three-year deal as a project player ahead of the 2014/15 campaign and though he played a pivotal role in Connacht’s Pro12 success in 2016, he never won an Ireland cap despite being eligible.
McCartney – known as ‘The Freak’ due to his physical strength – stayed in Ireland until 2020 before retiring and returning home to New Zealand.
Two NIQ players left Connacht ahead of this season, with Scotland out-half Dan Parks and Kiwi lock Craig Clarke retiring. Former Chiefs man Clarke had joined on a three-real deal in 2013 but concussion forced him to hang his boots up.
Leinster:
Head coach Matt O’Connor brought Wallabies lock Kane Douglas in on a three-year contract but the second row was gone after just one season.
Douglas seemingly failed to settle in Dublin and was keen to return home to chase more Test caps, so Leinster agreed to release him in the summer of 2015 after Rugby Australia paid compensation.
The other signing from abroad this season was rugby league star Ben Te’o, who joined on a two-year contract from the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The powerful centre took time to adapt to union but had obvious physical qualities.
Had Te’o opted to extend his Leinster contract, he would have qualified to play for Ireland in 2017 but England boss Eddie Jones convinced him to join Worcester in 2016. Te’o qualified for England immediately through his family and went on to win 16 caps.
Kiwi centre Andrew Goodman left Leinster ahead of this season but is now back as attack coach and will soon join the Ireland staff, while they also bid farewell to South African lock Quinn Roux - who had joined in 2012 and would soon be IQ – as he moved to Connacht on loan, and Kiwi back row Leo Auva’a, who had qualified for Ireland.
Munster:
The southern province signed experienced Australian centre Andrew Smith on a one-year contract to compensate for the departure of All Black Casey Laulala after two seasons with Munster. Smith featured regularly before moving on to Montpellier.
Kiwi out-half Tyler Bleyendaal was an exciting signing on a three-year deal that made him a project player for Ireland. He had impressed for the New Zealand U20s and Crusaders but his time with Munster was ruined by injuries.
Bleyendaal did train with Ireland under Joe Schmidt at one stage but was forced to retire in 2020. He moved into coaching and will join Leinster as their new attack coach this summer.
Munster also brought in Argentinian international hooker Eusebio Guiñazú early in the season on a four-month contract when Mike Sherry was hit by injury. The Mendoza native made an impact and ended up staying for the rest of the campaign, starting the Pro12 final defeat to Glasgow.
Ulster:
There was a relative influx of additions in Ulster ahead of this campaign, including one man who went on to play for Ireland. Kiwi back row Sean Reidy initially arrived on a short-term deal but stayed for eight years. He qualified for Ireland through his Kerry-born grandfather and won two caps in the 2016/17 season.
With All Black tighthead John Afoa leaving the province, Ulster brought in South African prop Wiehahn Herbst as a project player on a three-year deal. Herbst played for Ulster 80 times but though he qualified for Ireland in 2017, he was never capped and returned home in 2019.
Louis Ludik was another signing from South Africa who eventually qualified for Ireland, even if he originally joined Ulster on a two-year deal. He went on to become a centurion for the province and stayed until 2021 but never featured with Ireland.
Springbok-capped lock Franco van der Merwe joined ahead of the 2014/15 season as the popular Johann Muller left after four years of service. Van der Merwe signed on a two-year deal and earned a one-year extension but he left for Cardiff in 2017.
During the season, Ulster brought in Samoan international out-half Mike Stanley on a four-month deal as injury cover, while Kiwi flanker Tim Boys joined on a similar deal but got injured himself before he even had a chance to play.
Aussie flanker Sean Doyle, who was Irish-qualified, left Ulster in the summer of 2014 despite the province wanting to keep him. Doyle opted to join the Brumbies back home.
2015/16 season
Connacht:
Pat Lam brought in a Dublin-born but NIQ out-half for this season in the shape of AJ MacGinty, who had just made his USA debut. MacGinty proved to be a key man in guiding the province to Pro12 success before Connacht had to let him move on after just one season.
The other new faces that summer were the permanent signing of Quinn Roux, who had been on loan the season before and was now IQ, Kiwi flanker Nepia Fox-Matamua, who stayed for his two-year deal and then returned home, and Api Pewhairangi, an IQ rugby league player who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season and didn’t ever get a senior cap.
Leaving Connacht were Kiwi out-half Miah Nikora, who joined in 2009 and had become IQ, former All Black fullback Muliaina, and Tongan back row Mata Fifita, who then switched into rugby league.
Leinster:
The big news in Leinster was the sensational return of Isa Nacewa for his second spell with the province, having retired in 2013 to move back to New Zealand for family reasons.
He coached with the Blues but Nacewa made a stunning return to Leinster in 2015 on a one-year deal. By the end of that first season back, he had extended his deal and been named Leinster captain. His second spell with the province ended with a Champions Cup and Pro14 double success in 2018. Nacewa, capped once by Fiji, goes down as one of the best-ever signings from abroad.
Maori All Blacks second row Hayden Triggs also joined Leinster in the summer of 2015 as Kane Douglas departed, with Triggs extending his contract for a second season before retiring in 2017.
Leinster also said goodbye to Kiwi out-half Jimmy Gopperth ahead of this season. 40-year-old Gopperth is still playing now with Provence in the French second division.
Munster:
As Aussie centre Andrew Smith moved on after one season with Munster, they brought in All Blacks-capped Francis Saili on a two-year deal as their latest addition in midfield. Saili was a fine player but never quite seemed like the right fit.
Wallabies lock Mark Chisholm also joined on two-year deal but he suffered with concussion-related issues and was forced to retire at the end of that contract.
Munster had a few short-term signings from abroad this season, with Uruguay international prop Mario Sagario proving popular and earning an extension until the end of the campaign.
Argentina back Lucas González Amorosino came in on a three-month deal, while ex-Ulster flanker Sean Doyle also had a short spell with the province.
Ulster:
This was a quiet season for Ulster as they brought in only the IQ Australian out-half Sam Windsor, who made a handful of appearances in his one season, and IQ English lock Peter Browne, who stayed for three seasons but didn’t feature too regularly.
2016/17 season
Connacht:
The westerners had a busy off-season in terms of additions from abroad, headlined by South African out-half Marnitz Boshoff, who had one Springboks cap. He joined on a two-year contract but was released on compassionate grounds after one season following the death of his father back home.
Fiji international flanker Naulia Dawai also came in on a two-year contract that he saw out before moving on to New Zealand, while future Samoa international centre Stacey Ili did one season and also left for New Zealand.
Irish-qualified tighthead prop Dominic Robertson-McCoy was an unheralded signing from Kiwi rugby and though he hasn’t often been a frontliner, he remains with Connacht to this day.
IQ lock James Cannon, who played underage rugby for his native England, was picked up on a one-year deal and earned a further two-season extension before he returned home.
Cannon joined as the influential IQ lock Aly Muldowney left for Grenoble in the wake of the Pro12 success, while IQ back row George Naoupu, who had been signed from New Zealand back in 2009, also finished up with the province.
Leinster:
The eastern province made just one addition from abroad ahead of this season and it proved to be a crucial one for Irish rugby.
Kiwi scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park came in as a project player on a three-year deal. He proved to be a bit more of a slow-burner though, backing up Luke McGrath in Leinster right through until the 2020/21 season.
Gibson-Park didn’t come straight into the Ireland squad when he qualified in 2019 but Andy Farrell saw the higher potential and has been richly rewarded since giving him a debut in October 2020. Gibson-Park is set to go onto a central IRFU contract next season and is a crucial figure for Ireland and Leinster.
Ben Te’o moved on from Leinster the same summer, while IQ lock Tom Denton returned to his native England after four seasons in Ireland.
Munster:
Munster’s recruitment in 2016/17 had a strong South African flavour. Second row Jean Kleyn proved to be an excellent signing as a project player on a three-year deal, even if things became complicated last year.
Kleyn was capped by Ireland in 2019, the year he qualified, but never featured again and switched allegiance back to his native South Africa last year to help them to World Cup glory. He is now an NIQ player for Munster.
Springboks-capped centre Jaco Taute came in on a short-term deal as injury cover for Francis Saili and ended up staying with Munster for three seasons as he earned firm favour on the terraces at Thomond Park.
South African international prop Thomas du Toit played for Munster six times during his short-term spell with the province, while his fellow Springbok Jean Deysel spent the second half of the season on loan with Munster.
The other signing came from New Zealand, with hooker Rhys Marshall joining on a three-year deal. He was a project player but never featured for Ireland despite staying until 2021 when he moved back home.
Springboks tighthead BJ Botha left Munster in the summer of 2016, while South African wing Gerhard van den Heever also moved on just before he would have become IQ. Instead, he went on to become a Japan international
Ulster:
There was major excitement around Ulster ahead of the 2016/17 season after they pulled off the major coup of bringing in All Blacks fullback Charles Piutau, who signed a two-year deal and delighted the province’s fans before moving on to Bristol.
Adding to the excitement was the fact that Springboks back row Marcell Coetzee joined on a three-year deal at the same time. Coetzee was desperately unlucky to have his first two seasons in Ulster ruined by knee injury but he fought back to fitness and signed on for another three years.
However, Coetzee returned home to South Africa a year early after Ulster agreed to release him from the final season of that second deal. Ulster were “deeply frustrated,” according to then CEO Jonny Petrie, after Coetzee asked for that early release.
IQ lock Kieran Treadwell joined Ulster in 2016 and had played for Ireland by the following year. He now has 11 Test caps and remains with Ulster.
Brett Herron was an IQ out-half who was used sparingly in his two seasons with Ulster, while Georgian prop Anton Peikrishvili came in on a short-term deal amid injury issues but never featured in a game.
Among the leavers that summer was well-liked Kiwi back row Nick Williams, who had joined in 2012.
2017/18 season
Connacht:
Ahead of head coach Kieran Keane’s one season with the province, Connacht looked for gold in the IQ market as scrum-half James Mitchell - older brother of current England nine Alex – joined for two seasons and Aussie out-half Andrew Deegan signed on a one-year deal.
Deegan played just twice and though Mitchell featured more regularly, he moved back to England in 2019.
Connacht had signed Fijian centre Eroni Vasiteri but that move fell through when he was banned for eye gouging and so the westerners turned instead to Kiwi midfielder Pita Ahki.
Ahki joined on a short-term deal, looked good in his seven appearances, and was keen to extend his contract, but Connacht opted against keeping him. He has gone on to become a crucial player for Toulouse, who face Leinster in this season’s Champions Cup final.
The biggest success of this off-season’s recruitment was Aussie back row Jarrad Butler, who joined from the Brumbies on a three-year contract that would have made him eligible for Ireland in 2020. However, because he wasn’t capped at that stage and with World Rugby changing its regulations to five-year residency, he had to wait until 2022 to become IQ again. He hasn’t featured with Ireland but remains part of the Connacht squad.
Among those leaving Connacht was South African wing Danie Poolman, who had become IQ after joining back in 2012.
Leinster:
There were two more superb bits of recruitment by Leinster this summer. Kiwi wing James Lowe joined as a project player and was capped by Ireland in 2020. He had to adapt to Test rugby but is now a key part of the Leinster and Ireland teams. It was clear when Leinster signed him in 2017 that it was a smart bit of business but Lowe has proven to be an ever bigger success than initially imagined.
Also joining Leinster the same summer was Scott Fardy, a proven force at the highest level with the Wallabies. The flanker/lock was an instant hit with the province’s fans as he played a big role in their Champions Cup and Pro14 double in his first season. Fardy ended up staying with Leinster until 2021 and though he left Ireland upon retiring from playing, he is now back as Connacht’s defence coach.
As Lowe and Fardy joined, Leinster bid farewell to second row Hayden Triggs and versatile Springboks back Zane Kirchner, who had been with the province since 2013 and moved on to the Dragons.
Munster:
Munster made a couple more South African signings in this off-season, with breakdown specialist Chris Cloete joining as a project player on a three-year deal. The openside qualified for Ireland in 2020 but never featured with the national team. In 2022, he moved on to Bath where he works with ex-Munster boss Johann van Graan.
The southern province also brought in second row Gerbrandt Grobler on a one-year deal as Mark Chisholm retired. Grobler, clearly a fine player, was unlucky to suffer an ankle injury soon after joining and missed the first half of the season. Munster were criticised in some quarters for signing someone who had served a doping ban from 2014 to 2016 and Grobler left after one season.
They also added IQ prop Ciaran Parker to their squad in the summer of 2017 and he stayed for three seasons but played infrequently before returning to his native England.
Ulster:
The northern province also brought in a couple of South Africans ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, with powerful ex-Munster back row Jean Deysel joining on a two-year deal. He played 13 times in his first season but was forced to retire just months into his second year having struggled with a knee injury.
Loosehead prop Schalk van der Merwe joined on a two-year deal the same summer as Deysel but he was released just four months later after making only four appearances and failing to make an impression.
With Paddy Jackson unavailable, Ulster signed Wallabies out-half Christian Leali’ifano on a five-month deal. The experienced playmaker proved to be popular as he made 17 appearances and left having earned Ulster fan’s favour.
2017 was the summer that much-loved Springboks scrum-half Ruan Pienaar left Ulster to the province’s deep frustration. Pienaar had joined in 2010 and became a pivotal player who the fans loved but despite him wanting to stay and Ulter wanting to keep him, the IRFU decided that he could not be re-contracted due to the union’s succession policy. Still, Pienaar goes down as one of the great NIQ signings.
2018/19 season
Connacht:
The marquee signing for Connacht in the 2018/19 season was supposed to be exciting Fijian wing Sevu Reece, a 21-year-old who had been tearing up the Mitre 10 Cup but hadn’t secured a Super Rugby contract.
However, Connacht cancelled the deal after Reece was charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Reece was fined but discharged without conviction. Connacht and the IRFU subsequently confirmed their decision not to proceed with the signing due to “the circumstances of a recent court appearance.” Reece instead signed for the Crusaders in 2019 and was an All Black later that same year.
Nonetheless, a busy recruitment period saw Connacht bringing in four players from abroad, with an Aussie tinge as Andy Friend took over. Once-capped Wallaby centre Kyle Godwin came in on a two-year deal in which he showed his class before moving home to join the Western Force.
Even more impressive was back row Colby Fainga’a who also came in on a two-year deal and wowed the province’s fans. Connacht were keen to extend his contract but Lyon pounced with an early, strong offer to capture his services.
Out-half David Horwitz was the third man to arrive from Australia on a two-year deal but he didn’t feature heavily during his spell and moved on in 2020.
Connacht also added IQ lock Joe Maksimyw from Leicester the same summer but he was another to leave after an initial two-year deal as he joined the Dragons.
Among those to depart Connacht in 2018 was back row Jake Heenan, who had arrived from his native New Zealand in 2013, qualified to play for Ireland but hadn’t featured in the national squad.
Leinster:
Wallabies centre Joe Tomane joined Leinster on a two-year deal ahead of the 2018/19 campaign as Isa Nacewa retired for the second time.
Tomane had a challenging first season with the province as he suffered a serious hamstring injury and he was never quite able to consistently show the quality that had earned him 17 caps for Australia. He left for Japanese club rugby in 2020.
Munster:
Springboks-capped back row Arno Botha joined on a one-year contract and after making an early impression at number eight, the abrasive South African had his deal extended by another season.
He played less frequently in his second season before moving home to join the Bulls.
Former All Blacks scrum-half Alby Mathewson joined on a short-term deal just before the season started to provide cover for the injured Conor Murray and ended up staying for a total of 15 months, extending his contract twice as he made a positive impression.
Such was his impact that Mathewson challenged Murray for the starting number nine shirt when the latter was back playing. Mathewson departed in November 2019 with fond wishes from the Munster faithful.
Johann van Graan’s men also brought in IQ fullback Mike Haley from Sale Sharks in the summer of 2018 and he proved to be an excellent signing. Haley has played for Munster more than 100 times and was capped once by Ireland in 2019 but hasn’t featured again since.
Ulster:
Dan McFarland’s side also made an astute IQ signing from England in the shape of Will Addison, who swiftly made his Ireland debut in November 2018 and has won five caps. Unfortunately, the classy fullback/centre has had no luck with injuries in his time at Ulster but his team-mates have always spoken highly of his influence behind the scenes.
Out-half Billy Burns was the other IQ signing for Ulster in 2018 as he came in following the departure of Paddy Jackson. Burns made his Ireland debut in 2020 and won seven caps but hasn’t featured in recent years. He has been Ulster’s first-choice out-half since joining but will leave for Munster this summer.
Ulster also excited their fans by bringing in Wallabies wing Henry Speight on a six-month contract as injury cover. He featured prominently in that time, making 12 starts and scoring three tries.
2019/20 season
Connacht:
The westerners brought in two more players from Australian rugby in 2018, with 7s flyer John Porch joining after working under Friend in the past. He proved to be a fine addition with his electric finishing and toughness out wide, although he has had injury frustrations more recently. Porch could become Irish-qualified this year.
Mid-season, Connacht brought in IQ back three player Will Goddard from Australia on a short-term injury cover basis. He never played for Connacht but did feature for the Ireland 7s team.
Leinster:
Leinster didn’t make any signings from abroad ahead of this season.
Munster:
In a quiet season of recruitment, Munster’s only addition from outside the country was Aussie back row/lock Jed Holloway on a two-month deal as World Cup cover.
Ulster:
Wallabies lock Sam Carter joined Ulster on a two-year contract ahead of the 2019/20 season and though he wasn’t always a first-choice starter, he had his deal extended by another two seasons in 2021. Carter left for Leicester last summer without ever having fully won over Ulster’s supporters.
Pacy Kiwi back Matt Faddes had some strong moments for the province after joining on a two-year deal but was unlucky to suffer a shoulder injury in his first season, cutting that campaign short. He wasn’t offered a new deal in 2021 and returned to New Zealand.
Heavyweight prop Gareth Milasinovich, who can play on both sides of the front row, joined from Worcester in 2019 and came with IQ status. He suffered an ACL injury soon after arriving and though he ended up staying for four seasons, things never took off for the South African. He left for French club Valance Romans last year.
2020/21 season
Connacht:
Encouraged by the success of John Porch, Friend’s Connacht brought in another Aussie 7s international in the NIQ Ben O’Donnell, who joined on a two-year deal but only played seven times in two two season.
That was partly due to injury but also because Connacht could only field two ‘ANZAC’ players per game. Porch is also ANZAC and so was Jarrad Butler until he got his Irish citizenship after O’Donnell had left.
NIQ back row Abraham Papali’i was an under-the-radar addition for Connacht, having only recently switched to union from rugby league. The explosive Kiwi number eight was sent off on his Connacht debut and again soon after returning from suspension but earned a one-year extension before leaving for the French Top 14, where he is now playing for Castres.
Leinster:
It was another quiet off-season for Leinster, although IQ prop Ciaran Parker, who had previously been with Munster, joined on a three-month deal to cover injuries at one stage of the campaign.
Munster:
In contrast, the 2020/21 season was a huge one for Munster as they signed two world-class players in Springboks duo Damian de Allende and RG Snyman, who had helped their country to the 2019 World Cup title.
Both joined on two-year deals, with Snyman deeply unlucky to rupture his ACL on his Munster debut. That signalled a luckless injury run at the province but he had his deal extended by another two years. Snyman returned from injury to help Munster to last season’s URC success and is back playing superbly now but will depart for Leinster at the end of this season.
De Allende left after his initial two-year contract, returning to Japanese club rugby. He delivered some top-class performances on big occasions for Munster but never quite looked like someone who would end up staying for a longer haul.
IQ fullback Matt Gallagher was the other addition in 2020, joining on a two-year deal but playing only 13 games in that time due to injuries and then struggling to force his way into the team. He is now playing under van Graan in Bath.
Ulster:
Ex-Munster man Alby Mathewson was an interesting addition for Ulster, the veteran halfback joining on a one-year deal and playing 18 times as he also imparted his knowledge on younger players, as had been the case in Munster.
IQ hooker Bradley Roberts, a native of South Africa, also came into the fold during the season after impression in the AIL with Rainey Old Boys and earned himself a one-year deal for the 2020/21 campaign. He also qualified for Wales and was capped by them in 2021, leading to a move to Dragons in 2022.
2021/22 season
Connacht:
Connacht made one of the signings of the decade when they brought IQ wing Mack Hansen to Galway after he had found his opportunities with the Brumbies limited.
Hansen qualifies for Ireland through his mother and after a flying start to life with Connacht, he made his Test debut in the 2022 Six Nations and has never looked back, quickly becoming a key man for Andy Farrell’s side. Hansen was a gift to Irish rugby from Andy Friend.
Tonga international lock Leva Fifita came in on a two-season contract and though he had some strong performances in that time, his Connacht career never really caught light and he left for Oyonnax in 2023.
Samoan prop Tietie Tuimauga joined in October 2021 until the end of the season to cover for Denis Buckley after his ACL injury. NIQ Tuimauga played well in his 10 appearances but left in 2022 and now plays in the French Pro D2.
South African back Shayne Bolton was an unheralded signing at the time but he is an IQ player and has shown his potential this season when fit, impressing on the wing with his physicality and pace.
Leinster:
With Andrew Porter switching back over to loosehead prop, Leinster brought in Samoa international Michael Ala’alatoa on a three-year deal to provide back-up for Tadhg Furlong at tighthead.
He brought nous and a strong skillset from his time with the Crusaders but will leave for Clermont this summer.
Munster:
After the shock retirement of back row CJ Stander in the summer of 2021, Munster went late to the market and ended up signing once-capped Springbok lock Jason Jenkins.
He was unlucky with injuries during his one-year spell in Munster and played in the second row when he was fit before moving on to Leinster in the summer of 2022. Jenkins will return to South Africa at the end of this season to join the Sharks.
IQ hooker Declan Moore, a former Australia U20 international, also joined Munster for the 2021/22 season but played just once, joined Ulster on loan and then permanently but played only three times, and moved to Connacht on loan but didn’t feature at all. He signed for American club Anthem Rugby Carolina earlier this year.
Ulster:
Springbok and World Cup-winner Duane Vermeulen was the big-name recruit for Ulster, bringing major experience to the number eight shirt after joining on a two-year deal.
Ulster were happy with his impact and his knowledge seemingly rubbed off on younger players but he possibly didn’t have the explosive impact that supporters would have hoped for.
2022/23 season
Connacht:
NIQ back row Shamus Hurley-Langton was an under-the-radar addition from provincial rugby in New Zealand. The back row had missed out on a Super Rugby deal and proved to be a smart addition by Connacht. The 24-year-old’s recent contract extension keeps him in Connacht until 2026 and he would qualify for Ireland in 2027 if he stayed until then.
Wing/centre Byron Ralston came in from the Western Force, bringing IQ status thanks to his grandmother from Donegal. The 24-year-old has been a powerful presence and also recently signed a new deal to keep him with Connacht until 2026.
Scottish international hooker Grant Stewart joined on a short-term deal in the summer of 2022 to cover for injuries and played for the province four times before heading back to Scotland.
Leinster:
Former All Blacks centre Charlie Ngatai was Leinster’s big signing of the summer, joining on a two-year deal that is set to expire this summer.
Ngatai has been unlucky with injuries but brings quality whenever he plays and has even covered fullback once against Ulster. The 33-year-old recently returned from injury and will hope to finish his time with Leinster on a high.
Leinster also brought in Jason Jenkins from Munster on a two-year contract in the summer of 2022. The South African lock got off to a flyer in his first season but was then slowed up by injury. Like Ngatai, he will hope to end his spell in Ireland with trophy success in the coming weeks.
Munster:
With the high-profile Damian de Allende leaving, Munster brought in Tonga international Malakai Fekitoa to replace him as an NIQ centre.
Fekitoa signed a one-year deal that seemingly had the option of a second season but he fell out of favour early in the season and that extension wasn’t triggered. However, Fekitoa returned to excellent form in the second half of the campaign and was a starting player in their run to the URC title, leaving for Benetton with the respect of Munster fans.
Fekitoa was partnered in midfield by Antoine Frisch, a surprise signing from Bristol in the summer of 2022 given that his IQ status had not been widely known. Frisch joined Munster on a three-year deal and soon played for Emerging Ireland, stating his aim of winning Irish caps at senior level.
He has become a creative influence for Munster but now looks set to leave for Toulon this summer despite having a year left on his contract. Frisch trained with France during this year’s Six Nations and has now stated his aim of playing for les Bleus.
Munster brought in a second IQ centre in 2022 with Oli Morris joining after the collapse of Worcester Warriors. However, the one-time Ireland U20 squad member never played for the province and was released last year.
Hooker Chris Moore was another IQ signing that summer. He has never played for Munster but signed a one-year contract extension to cover the current campaign. Moore is currently on loan with the Ospreys.
Scotland international lock Kiran McDonald joined during the 2022/23 season on a three-month deal as injury cover, playing three times before he left.
Ulster:
Ulster also looked to the IQ market in 2022 as combative flanker Sean Reffell joined from Saracens. He has had little luck on the injury front but has done enough to earn a two-year contract extension until 2026.
Hooker Declan Moore came in from Munster permanently but rarely played, while Ireland native Michael McDonald, who played scrum-half for the Australia U20s, joined but played just twice. McDonald is currently on loan to Connacht.
There were two NIQ prop signings for Ulster in the 2022/23 season, with Samoan international tighthead Jeff Toomaga-Allen proving a popular, impactful addition for his one-year deal. Ulster fans would have liked to see his deal extended but he is now with the Reds in Super Rugby.
Scotland international loosehead Rory Sutherland joined in October after Worcester Warriors folded but wasn’t quite able to hit his best form across 12 appearances before moving on.
2023/24 season
Connacht:
Argentina wing/fullback Santiago Cordero was the marquee signing for Connacht ahead of the current season but was cruelly injured before he got a chance to play. He is due back soon from his ACL injury and has another season left on his contract.
New Zealand native Sean Jansen arrived from Leicester Tigers with IQ status and has looked powerful at number eight whenever available, which has been limited by injuries.
Connacht also added IQ wing Liam McNamara to their squad after the Australian native had featured for the Ireland 7s but he played only twice this season and was granted an early release from his contract in March to return home.
Munster:
As Malakai Fekitoa moved on to Benetton, the next NIQ midfield addition for Munster was New Zealander Alex Nankivell, who has proven to be a superb signing.
The former Chiefs man quickly won over Munster supporters with his abrasive, all-action performances and will continue to be a key man next season. 27-year-old Nankivell’s contract expires in 2025. He would need to hang around in Ireland until 2028 to become IQ.
Leinster:
Leo Cullen’s men didn’t bring in any players from abroad last summer.
Ulster:
Springbok World Cup-winner Steven Kitshoff was the big-name signing ahead of this season in Ulster but he has already departed home to South Africa.
Kitshoff joined on a three-year deal, although the third year is believed to have been optional, but is being released now as Ulster deal with financial constraints. Kitshoff had some good performances for the province without lighting the place up. His only season with Ulster was ended by a knee injury.
Zimbabwe native Dave Ewers came in as an NIQ back row after the departure of Duane Vermeulen. Ewers had been a consistent performer for Exeter but hasn’t hit those heights in Ulster and is expected to leave this summer.
- This article was updated at 2.01pm to add the paragraph relating to Ruan Pienaar in the 2017/18 season section.
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History IQ Irish-Qualified niq signings