Utility back Piers O’Conor joined Edinburgh Rugby from Connacht ahead of the 2025/26 season on an initial two-year deal.

Sydney-born and English-raised, Piers O’Conor’s rugby journey began with international representation for Ireland U19 before his professional debut with Wasps in November 2014.

His development continued with England U20, where he played a crucial role in their 2015 U20 Six Nations triumph and their subsequent appearance in the Final of the 2015 World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy.

A successful stint with Ealing Trailfinders in the RFU Championship paved the way for a significant move to Bristol Bears in 2018.

During his impactful tenure with the Bears, O’Conor amassed 137 appearances, scoring 36 tries and contributing to their European Rugby Challenge Cup victory in 2020 and a first-place finish in the Gallagher Premiership.

His consistent high-level performances for Bristol were further recognised with a call-up to an England XV for an uncapped match against the Barbarians in 2019.

O’Conor’s impressive attacking prowess and versatility were highlighted by his season statistics for Connacht in 2024/25, where he recorded the most carries (159), metres gained (710), defenders beaten (32), and clean breaks (19 – seventh most in the URC) for the Irish province.

The versatile back made his debut at outside centre against Zebre Parma in Parma. Equally comfortable in the centres, on the wing or at full-back, he grew into the 15 jersey as the season went on.

His form there was a feature of Edinburgh’s strong finish to the campaign, and he was nominated for April’s Scottish Building Society Player of the Month.

O’Conor has carried that form into 2026/27, starting at full-back in every game of Edinburgh’s best start to a season in more than a decade.

He scored in the opening-round win over Ulster in Belfast and has been a key figure in the side’s attacking game.