#5. Eoin O’Connor
The 22-year-old forward is Rob Baxter’s latest new addition to the playing ranks at Sandy Park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Highly-rated back in his native Ireland, O’Connor is certainly a formidable force, standing at 6ft 7ins and topping the scales at 17 stone, and heads to Devon having played for the province in both the United Rugby Championship, as well as the Heineken Champions Cup.
“It’s a great opportunity for me, especially with the squad we have here,” said the Waterford-born lock. “It’s a young squad, but having chatted with Rob [Baxter] he outlined the vision of the club moving forward and I was very excited by that.
“I’ve had four incredible years at Munster, coming straight out of school into their Academy, and learnt so much from the coaches and players like Tadhg Beirne, RG Snyman and Fineen Wycherley. Others too like Craig Casey and Peter O’Mahony, they were brilliant in terms of my development and for getting advice off.”
However, the chance to test himself in a new environment and a new league across the Irish Sea was something that clearly appealed to O’Connor.
“I wouldn’t say I know too much about the Premiership,” he added. “Obviously, we’ve faced English teams in Europe, including the Chiefs, so you get to know a little about them, but I’m looking forward to going to the different grounds, playing different teams and learning more about their rivalries.
“Having Saracens first up, you want to test yourselves against the big boys early on and there are no bigger than them.”