Rugby ATL signed Cronan Gleeson for the 2020 Major League Rugby season. The 26-year-old prop is 6’3″ and 265 lbs. He will be 27 in March.
Cronan is from Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland and began playing rugby at age 5 with Nenagh Ormond and continuing until he was 19. He played representative age-grade rugby for Munster U18s, U19s, and U20s and won the U19 Interpros, played for the Ireland U18s, and won the U19 All-Ireland-League Championship with Munster U19s. He also played with Shannon RFC from 2012-2014 for their U19s, U21s, and Senior All-Ireland League sides.
Cronan then traveled to play with the Stade Montois Pro Academy in Pro D2 for a season. Then it was onto England to play with Burley St. Edmunds in the National 2, as well as the Newcastle Falcons in 2015-2016.
In 2015 he played in Perth, Australia with Perth Palmyra in the WA Premier Division. and in 2016-2017 with the Connacht Eagles. He also played in Spain with Gexto Artea in the Spanish Premiership.
Cronan returned to Ireland to play with Old Wesley in All Ireland League first division, and with Munster from 2017-2019. In the last two seasons, the team won the Irish Clubs 15s.
Cronan came under the Rugby ATL radar through Munster Coach Ray Egan.