Connacht team up with NUI Galway

NUI Galway has inked a deal with Connacht Rugby to help promote both sporting and academic excellence in the province.

NUI Galway will sponsor Connacht Rugby for the next three years and provide educational opportunities for the province’s young players. The High Performance Education Partnership will allow players from Connacht’s Rugby Academy and age grade teams to avail of education at the college, in addition to a mentoring and development programme. There are currently 17 squad members either studying or have graduated from the college.

Connacht Rugby chief executive Tom Sears, who would not put a financial figure on the sponsorship, said Connacht was taking a holistic approach to player development.

“We want to turn out the best players possible, we want success on the pitch, but we also want our players to the best people they can be and develop in all areas of life. This year we will have over 4,000 season ticket holders and at big matches we will see 9,000 people plus. That is a level of our growth and ambition. Pat Lam has come here from New Zealand with a huge profile as a player and coach, we are attracting the likes of Craig Clarke, the Super 15 winning captain for the last two years. That is how the Connacht brand is spreading. We are putting ourselves on the map and we see this partnership as helping us by attracting young players into our system.”

NUIG president, Dr Jim Browne said it was important the university was there to ensure students had a potential career outside of rugby.

“Our partnership aligns our desire for excellence with Connacht’s desire for achievement in rugby. We will provide the mechanism and pathways to allow students who are clearly engaged in training to avail of the university and make the best of both.”

The partnership was launched by former Ireland captain and NUIG alumnus Ciarán Fitzgerald.