The New Zealander has signed props Kieran Brookes, Jack Aungier, South African hooker Marnus van der Merwe and utility back Will Harrison, a left-footed playmaker and former Australian Schools captain, who also led the Aussie under-20s to the 2019 Junior World Championship final.<\/p>\n
Brookes (35) is a former Irish underage international, before the Stoke-on-Trent born prop went on to win 16 caps for England. Dublin-born Aungier makes the relatively short journey from Galway, having joined from Connacht. The 29-year-old Van der Merwe arrives from the Scarlets where he has been a standout player. <\/p>\n
New Zealand-born former Ulster and Ireland fullback Jared Payne joins McMillan\u2019s coaching team, as does Galway native Jimmy Duffy. The province lost three frontrow players to retirement, Oli Jager\u2019s sadly enforced by concussions issues, while Tony Butler, Paddy Patterson, Andrew Smith and Conor Bartley are seeking other opportunities. <\/p>\n
Jean Kleyn has moved to Gloucester, whom Munster face in the upcoming Champions Cup<\/a> pool stage match, while Thaakir Abrahams has joined the Bulls. Former academy prospect Fionn Gibbons has joined Ealing in London. They will also play Leicester Tigers in a warm-up match next month in Cork. <\/p>\n Connacht<\/a> have travelled to Vannes, who return to the Top 14 after a season in the Pro D2, which they won this summer for the second time in three years. Stuart Lancaster<\/a> has recruited Ciar\u00e1n Frawley (Leinster), Will Connors (Leinster), Francois van Wyk (Bath), Jerry Cahir (Leinster) and Tom Connolly (Old Belvedere). Wing Chay Mullins and scrumhalf Mathew Devine have signed for Ulster. <\/p>\n Connacht will play English Championship side Ealing Trailfinders in Galway in a second preseason friendly.<\/p>\n Leinster<\/a> are in Lyon on Saturday at the Stade Matmut de Gerland to take on Karim Ghezal\u2019s side, but first the province\u2019s chief executive, Shane Nolan, will provide a briefing to the media on Wednesday on the \u20ac52 million development of the Laya Arena, formerly the RDS<\/a>. The new Anglesea Stand will increase the stadium\u2019s capacity to 20,400 for rugby matches.<\/p>\n There will be a soft opening of the stadium for rugby with a capped attendance when Leo Cullen\u2019s<\/a> squad host Zebre on September 12th. Season-ticket holders have been given priority. Prop Peter Dooley and outhalf Joey Carbery return to Leinster from Connacht and Bordeaux-B\u00e8gles respectively.<\/p>\n Apart from the contingent heading to Connacht, James Lowe has agreed a contract with Suntory Sungoliath in Japan, likewise Rabah Slimani with Toulon. Rieko Ioane returns to the Blues. Luke McGrath will play in Perpignan next season, while hooker John McKee has joined the Scarlets. Ioane is in South Africa with New Zealand. The second Test takes place in Cape Town on Saturday.<\/p>\n Ulster\u2019s<\/a> first preseason game is against Edinburgh at The Hive on Friday week. Richie Murphy<\/a> has recruited some of his former Ireland under-20 charges in Devine, Mullins and Daniel Hawkshaw. South African-born former Munster prop Keynan Knox has been recruited from Nevers in France, another South African secondrow Eli Snyman from Benetton and Argentinian Eduardo Bello from Newcastle. <\/p>\n![\"Joey](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/77LBHUETFNGP7VG4XQBFT4TAOE.jpg\")
Joey Carbery and son Beau with supporters after a Leinster Rugby squad open training session at Energia Park, Dublin, last week. Photograph: Shauna Clinton\/Sportsfile <\/p>\n
![\"Ciarán](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/3NY7LOHGJ5C4ZCZ32YJEGAWF54.jpg\")
Ciar\u00e1n Frawley in squad training in May. Photograph: Grace Halton\/INPHO Connacht<\/p>\n