Ultan Dillane

Ultan Dillane (born 9 November 1993) is an Irish rugby union player. He plays for La Rochelle in the Top 14 which is the top tier of rugby union in France. Dillane primarily plays as a lock.

Ultan Dillane
Date of birth (1993-11-09) 9 November 1993
Place of birthParis, France
Height1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight115 kg (18 st 2 lb; 254 lb)
SchoolTralee CBS
UniversityNUI Galway[1]
Rugby union career
Position(s) Lock, Flanker
Current team La Rochelle
Youth career
Tralee
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Galway ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2014–2022 Connacht 126 (30)
2022- La Rochelle 25 (0)
Correct as of 26 Mar 2022[2]
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2016–2021 Ireland 19 (5)
2018 Barbarians 1 (0)
Correct as of 4 July 2021

Early life

Dillane was born in Paris, France to an Irish mother. His father is from the Ivory Coast. At the age of seven, Dillane moved to Ireland, settling in Tralee in his mother's native county of Kerry.[3] Dillane attended St Mary's Christian Brothers School in Tralee.

Youth and early career

Dillane first played rugby for his local club Tralee RFC. Invited to play by a neighbour, but reluctant to take up the sport at first, Dillane and his brother were promised €5 by their mother if they went.[3] While with Tralee, Dillane was involved in the youth set up of his local provincial team, Munster. Dillane left the Munster set up however, and joined the academy of Connacht.

Club rugby

Dillane came into the Connacht academy for the 2012–13 season. In the 2014–15 season, while still a third year academy player, Dillane made his Connacht debut. He came on as a replacement in a provincial derby against Connacht's Irish rivals Leinster on 19 December 2014, and followed this up with his first start, which came against Ulster, another Irish province, on 26 December. On 1 January, Dillane was a replacement in another Irish derby, playing against his native province of Munster. Following his performances in these games, Dillane was awarded a senior contract with Connacht, to run until the summer of 2017.[4]

In December 2021, it was announced that Dillane would leave Connacht at the end of the season.[5] The following year he agreed a two-year contract with La Rochelle, to start with the prominent French club in the 2022–23 season.[6]

International career

Dillane received his first senior Ireland call up from coach Joe Schmidt as part of the squad for the 2016 Six Nations. He made his international debut as a replacement in the third round match against England on 27 February 2016.[7]

Honours

References
  1. "Ultan bags scholarship". The Kerryman. 20 November 2013.
  2. "Ultan Dillane". its rugby. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  3. "Just who is Ultan Dillane, Ireland's newest Six Nations squad member?". The42. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  4. "Connacht have secured the futures of two promising young second rows". The42. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  5. "Ultan Dillane to leave Connacht at end of the season". The 42. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  6. "La Rochelle officially confirm the signing of Ireland international Ultan Dillane". The 42. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  7. "Six Nations 2016: Rory Best named as new Ireland captain". BBC Sport. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
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