MAX DEEGAN HAS been awarded a senior professional contract by Leinster while the province have also announced their academy panel for the 2017/18 season.
Deegan, who made three appearances for Leo Cullen’s side last year, becomes the eighth player to be promoted from the academy this summer following Joey Carbery, Andrew Porter, Peader Timmins and former St Michael’s College team-mates Ross Byrne, Nick McCarthy, Rory O’Loughlin and James Ryan.
Eight new players will enter Year One of the academy from 1 July, including five of the Ireland U20s squad that competed at the Junior World Championship in Georgia.
Oisin Dowling, Caelan Doris, Gavin Mullin, Ronan Kelleher and Ciaran Frawley have all been recruited by the eastern province, while Jack Aungier (St Fintan’s High School) and Hugh O’Sullivan (Belvedere College) make up the first year roster.
Meanwhile, David O’Connor and Jack Power have been released from their contracts, with the latter joining the Munster academy.
“This is a hugely exciting time in the lives of these young professionals,” Smyth said after announcing the 2017/18 intake.
“Some of them are just after competing in a World Rugby Championship with the Ireland U20s which is a huge honour and they are all now looking forward to pre-season with Leinster up in UCD.
“They are all a credit to their schools, their clubs, their families and we very much look forward to welcoming them to UCD in July and to seeing where the journey takes us all. I would also like to give credit to the staff in the Leinster Sub-Academy and at the Academy who have played a massive part in the journey until now.
“Finally I would like to wish the eight Academy graduates the very best of luck as they embark on their professional rugby careers and wish David and Jack every success for the future. Both players are talented individuals and have been great young men to work with and I have no doubt that they will find success elsewhere.”
Leinster academy roster 2017/18
Year Four:
Ian Fitzpatrick
Year Three:
Oisin Heffernan
Jeremy Loughman
Sean McNulty
Josh Murphy
Charlie Rock
Year Two:
Will Connors
Hugo Keenan
Jack Kelly
Terry Kennedy
Jordan Larmour
Conor O’Brien
Jimmy O’Brien
Year One:
Jack Aungier
Oisín Dowling
Caelan Doris
Ciaran Frawley
Ronan Kelleher
Gavin Mullin
Tommy O’Brien
Hugh O’Sullivan
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Ruddock Leavy Heaslip O Brien Van der Flier Murphy Fardy Conan Deegan Leinster back row strength is unreal If carlsberg did backrows they would probably not be as good as Leinsters
Rare to see two players joining straight from school in Aungier and O’Sullivan.
I just don’t know how Leinster are going to keep all these backrows happy but I hope they do.
The talent level being brought through is amazing.
@Gustave H: the great thing is the talent is flowing to the first team and beyond so they must know the way to keep them all happy.
@Gustave H: Let Ulster sign them to let them get game time.
@Christiaan Theron: I don’t think it’s a case of letting them. They want to stay and fight for their place.
From what I heard Ulster went in heavily for Jack Conan and he’d no interest.
@Gustave H: True. There’s one or two that would want to do a serious bit of thinking though. It’s admirable wanting to earn the starting spot here, but playing week in week out and in Champions Cup games in Ravenhill would stand to them more than a few Pro12 games during the Six Nations. It’s a short career, and waiting in line didn’t work out for Ryan or Madigan.
Some of these kids should go on loan to Ulster and London Irish
@Aidan O: They don’t want to.
@Lf: Shows how ambitious they are. Every player knows they have to play regular on the 23 for a province to get capped.
@Christiaan Theron: You’re right Christian, it does show how ambitious they are. Instead of moving to another lesser side backing yourself to get into a team packed full of talent that’s more likely to challenge for trophies shows serious ambition and confidence.
@Christiaan Theron: Heaslip, O’Brien, Leavy, Murphy, Van der Flier, Conan and Ruddock. All Irish internationals
@Oval Digest: You mean like Marty Moore and Ian Madigan now presently lost to the Irish national side.
@Christiaan Theron: did James Ryan not get capped for Ireland before playing for Leinster?
@Christiaan Theron: Haha those support my point! Both stayed and were in the Irish squad, when they left they were found out a bit and left out.
Why would you want to head to Ulster or London Irish if you were an ambitious, talented player from Leinster?
If anything, it would show a lack of ambition to move.
@Christiaan Theron: Ulster should try developing their own players instead of relying on Saffers and other provinces.