THERE was widespread shock among the many Connacht fanbase when it was confirmed out west that Matthew Devine can be leaving to affix provincial rivals Ulster on a one-year deal halfway by way of final season.
The scrum-half, now 24, had lengthy been heralded as one of many province’s most enjoyable homegrown gamers in years. Devine had reportedly been focused by La Rochelle head coach Ronan O’Gara in 2025 earlier than the Irish Rugby Soccer Union blocked the transfer. His inventory has been excessive for fairly a while.
Connacht have been understood to have tabled a three-year deal, however Devine felt his long-term ambitions can be higher served with a transfer to Belfast.
He’s settling into life with Ulster and is within the midst of the province’s pre-season preparations. It is going to be unusual for Connacht followers to see one in all their brightest stars lining for one in all their provincial rivals. Particularly when the URC will get going on the finish of September.
Devine was needed by La Rochelle in France
In spite of everything, Devine was a product of Ballinasloe RFC, Garbally Faculty and the Connacht Academy. Seeing one in all their very own depart the operation was a large blow.
So, why has one in all Connacht’s brightest prospects determined to go to a rival set-up, particularly when his dwelling province are using the crest of a Stuart Lancaster-shaped wave.
Effectively, there have been a couple of causes. Devine was pissed off with a scarcity of top-level publicity.
He made his senior debut – away to Lyon within the Champions Cup in January 2024 – however constant game-time was briefly provide.
The 2024-25 marketing campaign was a irritating, stop-start affair. His 17-minute cameo from the bench towards Ospreys was solely his second look in 2026, two months after his final look, towards Montauban within the Problem Cup.
It was scraps from the desk all through the latest marketing campaign. Of his 36 appearances for Connacht, solely ten have been begins.
Why was he so frivolously raced? Connacht are effectively stocked with scrum-halves. Eire worldwide Caolin Blade is on the books. Ditto, Ben Murphy. Colm Reilly is extremely rated as effectively.
Devine was pissed off by lack of video games
Connacht have arguably the healthiest scrum-half depth within the nation.
Devine determined to hitch his wagon to Ulster. The chance to work with Richie Murphy and Mark Sexton once more was one other massive bargaining chip. Devine had performed underneath each Ulster coaches throughout his time with the Eire Below 20s 4 years in the past.
Nonetheless, Devine’s impending exit has rankled with supporters. Certainly, Lancaster was pressured to defend the province’s position in his imminent departure following his facet’s storming URC win towards the Ospreys in March, with Devine delivering an excellent, match-winning cameo from the bench.
‘In the end I don’t have the ultimate say, he does, so yeah after all we needed him to remain,’ the Connacht head coach mentioned.
‘(His youthful brother) John’s been nice and we’ve given him his alternative, Mattie had a few accidents as effectively which hasn’t helped. We’ve acquired 4 superb scrum-halves, we’re very fortunate. Do we wish him to depart? No, however he’s chosen to try this.’
Connacht’s loss could be very a lot Ulster’s achieve. There are lots of people inside the recreation who really feel Devine has the very best of ceilings and it could be no shock if the Galway native usurps Nathan Doak as Ulster’s first-choice scrum-half down the road.
As a result of Devine affords one thing completely different. He possesses a uncommon high quality in an Irish scrum-half: the power to interrupt the road and problem defences.
Ulster’s first-choice No.9 Nathan Doak
There have been loads of fast half-backs with good passing video games. Peter Stringer and Craig Casey come to thoughts. There have been quite a few clever operators who possess robust kicking video games and savvy recreation administration. Gamers like Doak, Luke McGrath and Kieran Marmion. Conor Murray, Tomás O’Leary and Michael Bradley have been sturdy, bodily scrum-halves who virtually performed like further backrow forwards.
The one scrum-half who has represented Eire who possesses that uncommon capacity to terrorise opposition defences is Jamison Gibson-Park. And the Leinster star discovered his commerce in New Zealand, the place all-action, line-breaking scrum-halves are all the craze nowadays.
We simply don’t appear to supply these kind of half-backs in Eire. Devine seems just like the form of scrum-half who can break that mould. When Ulster introduced his signing final season, they posted a highlights reel on social media of his field workplace moments for Connacht. And there are many them.
Again and again, Devine sparks one thing with a sniping break or a scything working line. He’s the form of scrum-half who seeks out drained forwards on the fringes of rucks and senses a possibility. His expertise frees up house for different teammates on the sector.
He has but to interrupt into the Eire senior set-up however Andy Farrell is keeping close tabs on the young scrum-half. Devine has featured on Rising Eire excursions and he was a part of the Eire XV workforce which was effectively overwhelmed by England ‘A’ in Limerick again in February.
Devine is thought for sniping breaks
The Eire pecking order has been effectively established of late, with Casey backing up Gibson-Park.
Doak, who might be Devine’s important rival at Ulster, has nabbed third slot since Conor Murray hung up his boots a couple of years in the past.
But when Devine will get some early momentum within the opening rounds of the brand new URC marketing campaign, he could discover himself within the worldwide combine come the Nations Championship in November.
Nobody in Connacht might be shocked if that proves to be the case. They knew they have been shedding an excellent one.
