Ireland fly-half Byrne to join Gloucester

Ross Byrne has been a key player for Leinster over the past decade

Gloucester have agreed the signing of Leinster's Ireland fly-half Ross Byrne.

The 29-year-old Dubliner, who has made 177 appearances for Leinster, will leave the province this summer and join the Cherry and Whites for the 2025-26 season.

"I'm delighted to have signed with Gloucester Rugby for next season. The club's exciting ambitions made it an opportunity I just couldn't pass up," he said.

"The team are producing a really great brand of rugby already, and that's certainly something that drew me to Kingsholm.

"I'm hoping I can add to that and help the team grow further in the future."

Byrne has won the United Rugby Championship four times and the Champions Cup during a 10-year spell with Leinster, during which he has accumulated 1,156 points.

He has played 22 times for Ireland, winning two Triple Crowns, one Six Nations championship and a Six Nations Grand Slam.

Byrne's switch comes just weeks after his younger brother Harry also moved to the Premiership, joining Bristol from Leinster on loan.

"Leinster is quite rightly recognised as a breeding ground for lots of quality players, and Ross is one of the best players they've produced over the last decade," said Gloucester director of rugby George Skivington.

"It's rare to come across someone with so much domestic and international pedigree, and when they do become available, inevitably there's a lot of interest in them, so it's a real coup for us.

"Ross's signing is a real statement of ambition, and we can't wait for him to get started."