The Miami Sharks signed Canadian international Shane O’Leary for the 2024 Major League Rugby season after selecting him 21st in the 2023 expansion draft. The 29-year-old flyhalf (30 in December) is 5’10” and 200 lbs.
Shane played 752 minutes in 11 matches, starting 10, and scored 52 points (8 penalty goals, 14 conversions) for the Toronto Arrows in 2022.
Shane was born in Cork, Ireland, and grew up in Ballins in Tipperary. He attended Killslor Community College and St Annes Community College before obtaining a Higher Certificate in Exercise & Fitness, Sports & Exercise from the University of Limerick (2011-2013). He also earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Strength & Conditioning from Setanta College (2015 to 2018).
Shane played youth rugby with Scarriff Rugby Club, as well as playing with Munster Under 18s and Young Munster. His senior rugby career began while playing 5 times for Grenoble during the 2013-2014 season.
He also made 24 appearances for Connacht between 2014 and 2017 before playing 9 times for the Ealing Trailfinders in the 2017-2018 season. Between 2018 to 2020 he played in 35 matches for Nottingham and from 2020 to 2022 he played 25 times for Rouen Normandie in the French Rugby Pro 2 league.
Shane is qualified to represent Canada through his mother, who was born in New Brunswick. He played for Canada Under 20s in 2013 at the Junior World Trophy competition and has earned 14 caps for the Senior National Team, where he made his debut against Georgia in Calgary on 10 June 2017. He also played one match against South Africa at the 2019 rugby World Cup.
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