CONNACHT RUGBY HAS confirmed the landmark capture of 100-times capped New Zealand fullback Mils Muliaina.
Muliaina has signed a one-year IRFU contract to become the first ever All Black to play with the Irish province at the Sportsground. He has been signed on a deal that will see him act as a player-mentor to backline talents such as Robbie Henshaw, Dave McSharry and Darragh Leader.
Connacht head coach Pat Lam said, “I don’t think I need to point out how huge it is to have Mils Muliaina as our first All Black coming to represent Connacht. The second ever All Black and the first ever back to reach 100 Test matches [after Richie McCaw] is some achievement but what’s incredible about Mils is the passion and professionalism he brings whenever he plays and I know he will bring that in the Connacht jersey.”
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Muliaina pictured during the 2011 World Cup. Ross Land
Ross Land
Lam added, “At the age of 33, he still has that hunger to play competitive rugby and before his surgery last month, he showed his quality and ability to keep playing at the top level in Super Rugby. It’s exciting to announce that we’ll have him on our team next season.”
The 33-year-old commented, “This is an exciting time for me, making the move to Connacht Rugby. I’ve obviously had a good chat with some of the boys at the club – Nathan (White) and [Craig] Clarke – and they’ve told me a good bit about the place.” He added:
I have a good understanding about my role and what is expected of me at Connacht. I’ve heard a lot about the talented young backs at the club – guys like Robbie Henshaw – and I’m keen to help anywhere I can, both on and off the field.
“Being able to play some competitive football while also sharing my knowledge and helping Connacht to achieve their vision played a big part in my decision to move. I expect to learn a good bit from these young guys too and that’s exciting.”
The clip below is a fine example of the pace, awareness and attacking instinct of Muliaina, who will arrive after the Super Rugby season concludes. He starts a counter-attack in his 22 and bursts up the left in support of Sitiveni Sivivatu to score against France. It was one of his 33 tries in 100 Test caps.
Fantastic signing.
Big welcome from Connacht to the great mils muliaina and well done to all involved.
Every back in Ireland would love to play alongside mils so the Connacht academy guys etc will jumping with joy.
The likes of Henshaw and the other young lads will benefit the most from having him around, he’ll teach them all they need to know and more with the amount he’s seen and achieved!
Great news also for Ireland. It means Henshaw probably will play 13 from now on with Connacht. Daragh Leader also now has a top notch full back to learn from. Well done Pat Lam.
Cain. Pilling the piss that he is signing,or pulling the piss that it is a good signing? I for one think it is great if only for the experience he will pass on to the younger players .
I don’t mean to seem rude but I keep hearing about this place “ballyhaunis” and I’ve lived in Galway mt whole life and I just don’t know where the hell it is
He hasn’t played a lot of Rugby due to injuries lately, but he’s just had an operation so he is ready for the Pro12 season starting. Injury risk maybe? But the experience that he’ll bring to that squad is worth its weight in gold… Coaching/mentoring will probably be something that Lam will give to him eventually as well…
Great signing the experience and win attitude is gold dust. The odd older Irl players who play with Munster, Leinster and Ulster should put a season or two into Connacht. There are good examples of fine players who had a season or so left and could have helped the cause and could have brought that experience to Connacht
If anyone is in doubt as to how serious munster’s financial position is, look at the signings. Connaught get Muliaina and Aki, Leinster bring in Douglas, we bring in Andrew Smith.
If we are down a NIQ player this year again due to the exception granted us to keep Botha then that is it as far as foreign signings go for Munster.
That try by Muliaina against France in the YouTube clip, above, is one of my favourite tries of all time. The build-up to it was also beautifully explained by Mark McDermott who was co-commentating for RTE for that match. I have long thought that McDermott, who was never asked to commentate enough by RTE, should be hired as a regular co-commentator for Test matches on RTE; he has a very good way of explaining rugby to the viewers, devoid of the cliche-ridden nonsense that we hear so often from some of the other RTE commentators. Mark McDermott and Donal Lenihan are, by a country mile, the two best co-commentators that RTE have access to in this country, and RTE should make McDermott and Lenihan the two (inter-changing) exclusive co-commentators for the big Test matches broadcast on RTE.
But if RTE are too stale and mediocrity-driven to do this, TV3 should immediately hire Mark McDermott as a Test-match commentator/panelist for the Rugby World Cup in 2015! I hope that TV3 does so, in any case.
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Brilliant! What a signing!
Wow, did not see that coming
Fantastic signing.
Big welcome from Connacht to the great mils muliaina and well done to all involved.
Every back in Ireland would love to play alongside mils so the Connacht academy guys etc will jumping with joy.
Vive la révolution!
Wow…take a bow Pat Lam doing great things in the weshhhhht!
Well done Connaught
Oi get rid of that g. It’s connacht
Great signing.
The likes of Henshaw and the other young lads will benefit the most from having him around, he’ll teach them all they need to know and more with the amount he’s seen and achieved!
Wow excellent. Well done all involved
This is a great move for Connacht rugby in particular and Irish rugby in general. Well done.
Excellent signing. Well done Connaught.
Apologies for fan-girling a little bit but O.M.F*cking.G.
Super news; what a mentor he’ll be to the young backs coming through. Could also lure backs outside the core group in other provinces to join also
Great news also for Ireland. It means Henshaw probably will play 13 from now on with Connacht. Daragh Leader also now has a top notch full back to learn from. Well done Pat Lam.
Until St Joe tells the IRFU he wants Henshaw at Leinster !!
Nice one westies. He may be old but he’ll do a great job im sure. Will instill that winning mentality that has been sorely lacking at times.
Great signing. Welcome to Ireland your Gona love the weather here. Especially in Sligo
Absolutely brilliant !!!!! If injuries are kind,should be an exciting year
Wow, that’s awesome
Cain. Pilling the piss that he is signing,or pulling the piss that it is a good signing? I for one think it is great if only for the experience he will pass on to the younger players .
Read my second comment maybe ;-)
Great news for Connaught. Let’s hope they can come up to the strength of the other 3 Provences .
hope he settles in ballyhaunis
I don’t mean to seem rude but I keep hearing about this place “ballyhaunis” and I’ve lived in Galway mt whole life and I just don’t know where the hell it is
He hasn’t played a lot of Rugby due to injuries lately, but he’s just had an operation so he is ready for the Pro12 season starting. Injury risk maybe? But the experience that he’ll bring to that squad is worth its weight in gold… Coaching/mentoring will probably be something that Lam will give to him eventually as well…
His injury was elbow surgery. He’ll be grand
Great signing the experience and win attitude is gold dust. The odd older Irl players who play with Munster, Leinster and Ulster should put a season or two into Connacht. There are good examples of fine players who had a season or so left and could have helped the cause and could have brought that experience to Connacht
FairPlay , as a Munster man I’d love to see Connaught as strong as the other 3 . The west awake !!
You are pulling the piss?
So many red thumbs. .. so many premature clickers!! :-D
Wow well done Connaught, I hope he stays healthy.
Now for Munster to sign Conrad Smith. Alf will be on happy mo fo and Summer Bay might get a reprieve for a day
If anyone is in doubt as to how serious munster’s financial position is, look at the signings. Connaught get Muliaina and Aki, Leinster bring in Douglas, we bring in Andrew Smith.
If we are down a NIQ player this year again due to the exception granted us to keep Botha then that is it as far as foreign signings go for Munster.
There is no way Conrad smith is going to leave this year he wants to play for new zealAnd in the World Cup
I know, but one can dream!
Munster will wait until after the World Cup to sign players !
“It’s a dream come through for me to play for Connaught ” €€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€
He’s not Robbie Keane!
That try by Muliaina against France in the YouTube clip, above, is one of my favourite tries of all time. The build-up to it was also beautifully explained by Mark McDermott who was co-commentating for RTE for that match. I have long thought that McDermott, who was never asked to commentate enough by RTE, should be hired as a regular co-commentator for Test matches on RTE; he has a very good way of explaining rugby to the viewers, devoid of the cliche-ridden nonsense that we hear so often from some of the other RTE commentators. Mark McDermott and Donal Lenihan are, by a country mile, the two best co-commentators that RTE have access to in this country, and RTE should make McDermott and Lenihan the two (inter-changing) exclusive co-commentators for the big Test matches broadcast on RTE.
But if RTE are too stale and mediocrity-driven to do this, TV3 should immediately hire Mark McDermott as a Test-match commentator/panelist for the Rugby World Cup in 2015! I hope that TV3 does so, in any case.
Yeah better than Tony “stuffing every last possible word he can think of into every breath” Ward. And still manages to to talk sh1te!
Captured? Did he put up a huge fight first?