Connacht have considerably strengthened their squad for the Interprovincial and European season with two players from Munster, one from Leinster and several Irish under-21s joining the ranks.
Mark McHugh, the 22-year-old former Leinster outhalf-cum-centre and place-kicker, who appeared in three of his side's European Cup matches last season, makes the move along with Munster flanker Paul Neville and prop Peter Bracken.
Connacht, who open their European Shield campaign on the weekend of September 28th-30th with a home tie against last year's runners-up Narbonne, have also attracted Gavin Duffy, the talented Galwegians utility player and one of the more exciting young talents to emerge in Ireland. Duffy can play at full back, wing and in the centre.
Ireland under-21 Des Dillon will come into the squad to join Michael Swift at number eight while scrumhalf Eoin Reddan arrives to join James Ferris at number nine. Tom Kearns, the Clontarf hooker, is the other new addition to the squad.
Connacht are pooled in the Shield competition with Sale Sharks, who face Ulster in a friendly next week at Ravenhill, and RDS Roma.
London Wasps and Bath have also announced full-strength squads for their pre-season training camps which begin next week at the University of Limerick.
Wasps will travel next Monday with a 35-man squad which will include Kenny Logan, Phil Greening, Simon Shaw, Trevor Leota and Josh Lewsey. Director of coaching Nigel Melville will arrive the following day with the club's new signing, former All Black Craig Dowd, in time for the evening match against Munster at 6.30. Wasps will be without the injured England and Lions back-row Lawrence Dallaglio.
Former England fullback Jon Callard, who succeeds Andy Robinson as head coach at Bath, arrives in Limerick with his squad on Wednesday. The tourists will have their Lions contingent including new second-row signing Danny Grewcock, who is set to feature in their Friday night game against Munster.
The three teams have decided to play the round-robin series of matches in a tournament format and a trophy has been presented for the winners by the Brazen Head, Limerick. The tournament rules have not been finally decided but are likely to reward try scoring, as in the All Ireland League where four tries ensure a bonus point.
Munster will announce their squad for the Celtic League on Friday 10th before they meet Bath in their second match of the Limerick series. The two English clubs face each other in the final game on Monday 13th.
Dave McHugh, who refereed his 19th Test at the weekend in the Tri-Nations game between South Africa and Australia in Pretoria, is now third on the Irish list of international referees after Kevin Kelleher (23) and Ray Williams (21). McHugh, one of 15 contracted Irish referees has previously refereed at two World Cups in 1995 and 1999.
Connacht Squad: Backs - G Duffy, W Munn, P Duignan, D Yap, T Allnut, D McCabe, M McHugh, S Allnut, E Elwood, J Ferris, E Reddan. Forwards - M Swift, D Dillon, P Neville, J O'Connor, C Rigney, J Charlie, D Browne, R Frost, M McConnell, T Kearns, M Uijs, P Bracken, M Cahill, R McCormack, D McFarland.
