DESERVEDLY, Max Clein has been promoted from Academy to Senior with Munster. The 22 year old from Garryowen was a Munster Schools Boys Senior Cup winner with Crescent College Comprehensive in 2022.
After impressing in his AIL appearances with Garryowen in 2022/23, he also featured for Munster A and a Munster Development side and helped the Ireland U20s reach the final of the World Championships in 2023.
Clein joined the Munster Rugby Academy in autumn that years and made his first senior appearance in the uncapped friendly against Harlequins the following spring.
Over his three years in the Academy, Clein has featured regularly for Garryowen and Munster A and earned his first Munster cap against Argentina XV at Thomond Park last November.
Munster General Manager Ian Costello said: “Max has made a successful conversion from playing in the back row at school level to signing his first professional contract as a hooker in only four years. This is extremely rare in professional sport.”
“Huge credit goes to the Academy staff who supported Max throughout this journey and to Max himself for the dedication and commitment necessary to reach this milestone.”