Ciaran Booth, a former Manchester Rugby Club M&J member, provides us an update on how he is settling in on the Irish West coast. Having signed for Connacht after his time with Sale Sharks and playing for Ireland U20s, his determination, hard work and willingness to take the road less travelled is giving him the opportunity to achieve his goals.

Here's what Ciaran said:
"I’ve settled in really well and I’m loving life on the west coast. The lads here are great and the coaching is honestly top notch. I definitely feel at home away from home. It’s been a long road to recovery from getting injured nearly 18 months ago but hopefully some game time is just around the corner again.

It’s a really exciting move in terms of the future and it all started through my Irish Family on my Dad’s side meaning I was qualified to play for the Irish Age Grade Teams, which was a pretty special experience. It’s definitely encouraging for other lads coming through that may be overlooked by the England set ups, as there’s lots of people with that connection in their families. If you work hard enough there’s always a route in to the professional game and I feel extremely lucky that I’ve had 2 great years at Sale Sharks and I’m now getting stuck in here at Connacht.

My Girlfriend and I have settled down in a place in the countryside so life is good with the donkeys and the dog! The support from my family, friends and everyone at MRC has been really lovely to see and none of it would’ve been possible without my time at Grove Park as a kid."

Everyone at MRC will be following Ciaran's progress in the green of Connacht; and we hope to see you make your debut soon enough!