Leinster Rugby have confirmed another graduation from their Academy with Max Deegan awarded a senior contract ahead of the new season.
The 20-year-old number 8 broke into the senior team last season and made three appearances in the Guinness PRO12.
Deegan joins the previously announced Ross Byrne, Joey Carbery, Nick McCarthy, Rory O'Loughlin, Andrew Porter, James Ryan and Peadar Timmins in signing senior contracts.
Meanwhile, a total of eight players will join the Blues Academy panel this season; Jack Aungier (St Fintan's High School), Oisín Dowling (Lansdowne FC), Caelan Doris (St Mary's College), Ronan Kelleher (UCD), Gavin Mullin (UCD), Tommy O'Brien (UCD), Hugh O'Sullivan (Belvedere College) and Ciaran Frawley (UCD).
Dowling, Doris, Kelleher, Mullin and Frawley were all named in Peter Malone's Ireland Under 20s squad that competed in the recent World Rugby Championship in Georgia.
Leinster Rugby Academy Manager, Peter Smyth, is looking forward to working with the new recruits.
"This is a hugely exciting time in the lives of these young professionals. Some of them are just after competing in a World Rugby Championship with the Ireland U20s which is a huge honour and they are all now looking forward to pre-season with Leinster up in UCD.
"They are all a credit to their schools, their clubs, their families and we very much look forward to welcoming them to UCD in July and to seeing where the journey takes us all. I would also like to give credit to the staff in the Leinster Sub-Academy and at the Academy who have played a massive part in the journey until now."
