Josh Neill to join teammates in Leinster Rugby early in 2026

Afternoon all,

Leinster Rugby Academy Manager, Simon Broughton has this afternoon confirmed that Josh Neill has been added to the year one Academy intake and will join Leinster Rugby early in the new year.

The Irish-qualified backrow forward is currently attending Rondebosch Boys' High School in Cape Town and was most recently named in the South Africa U-18s squad for their summer series of games against France, England and Ireland.

Josh has an older brother, Jordan, who is already based in Ireland and currently playing cricket with Northern Knights. He has played with Ireland U-19s and made his Irish senior debut in the One Day International game against the West Indies earlier this summer.

Josh, who plays his club rugby with Western Province, will join the rest of the Academy intake in early 2026 when his school year finishes in South Africa.

Leinster Rugby - Academy 2025/26

Year One:

(Energia All-Ireland League Clubs in brackets)

Tadhg Brophy (Naas RFC)
Jack Deegan (Blackrock College RFC)
Connor Fahy (Clontarf FC)
Páidí Farrell (Old Wesley RFC)
Lee Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College RGC)
Todd Lawlor (Lansdowne FC)
Ciarán Mangan (Blackrock College RFC)
Alex Mullan (Blackrock College RFC)
Josh Neill (TBC)
Mahon Ronan (Old Wesley RFC)

Year Two:

Oliver Coffey (Blackrock College RFC)
Billy Corrigan (Old Wesley RFC)
Caspar Gabriel (Terenure College RFC)
Hugo McLaughlin (Lansdowne FC)
Ruben Moloney (UCD RFC)
Alan Spicer (Clontarf FC)
Andrew Sparrow (St Mary's College RFC)
Stephen Smyth (Old Wesley RFC)

Year Three:

Henry McErlean (Terenure College RFC)
Liam Molony (Lansdowne FC)
Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC)