| Date of birth | (2001-03-03)3 March 2001 (age 24) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Place of birth | Cork, Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 105 kg (16.5 st; 231 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Presentation Brothers College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | University College Cork | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Alex Kendellen (born 3 March 2001) is an Irishrugby union player who plays as aflanker forUnited Rugby Championship clubMunster.
Born inCork, Kendellen attendedPresentation Brothers College and captained the school to the final of the 2020Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup, scoring two tries in their 33–10 semi-final win againstLimerick schoolSt Munchin's College,[1] though the final against Cork rivalsChristian Brothers College was cancelled and the cup shared due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[2]
Having already won representative honours with Munster under-18s and under-19s, Kendellen joined theMunster academy immediately upon leaving school in June 2020.[3] He made his senior competitive debut for Munster in their2020–21 Pro14 round 15 match against Welsh sideScarlets on 12 March 2021, coming on as a 28th minute replacement for the injuredFineen Wycherley in Munster's 28–10 win,[4] and made his Champions Cup debut for Munster in their2021–22 pool B round 2 fixture at home to French clubCastres on 18 December 2021, coming on as a replacement forJohn Hodnett in the province's 19–13 win.[5]
Kendellen made his first start for Munster in their 10–8 away defeat against provincial rivalsConnacht in round 9 of the2021–22 United Rugby Championship on 1 January 2022,[6] and scored his first try for the province one week later in their 18–13 home win againstUlster.[7] For his performances during the 2021–22 season, Kendellen won Munster'sJohn McCarthy Award for Academy Player of the Year when the province's end-of-season awards were announced in June 2022.[8]
Kendellen joined Munster's senior squad on a two-year contract from the 2022–23 season,[9] and extended that contract by a further year in September 2022, meaning Kendellen will remain with the province until at least July 2025.[10] He featured off the bench in Munster's historic 28–14 win against aSouth Africa XV inPáirc Uí Chaoimh on 10 November 2022,[11] and also came on as a replacement in Munster's 19–14 win against theStormers in thefinal of the2022–23 United Rugby Championship on 27 May 2023.[12]
Kendellen represented theIreland Schools team at the under-18 Six Nations Festival in 2018, and captained the side at the same tournament in 2019.[13] He has also played for the Ireland under-18 Sevens team.[14] He received his first call up to theIreland 7s team ahead of the International Rugby 7's tournament atSt George's Park, England in May 2021, where they played hostsGreat Britain and theUnited States.[15]
Kendellen was selected to captain theIreland under-20s team at the2021 Six Nations Under 20s Championship when the squad was announced on 10 June 2021,[16] scoring a try and earning theplayer of the match award in Ireland's opening 38–7 win againstScotland on 19 June.[17] Kendellen followed up his opening round exploits with another try and strong performance in Ireland's 40–12 win againstWales on 25 June,[18] before a 24–15 defeat againstEngland on 1 July brought an end to Ireland's winning start in the tournament.[19] Looking to get back to winning ways, Ireland suffered a scare againstItaly on 7 July, trailing 23–12 at half-time, before two tries fromplayer of the match Kendellen sparked a second-half comeback for a 30–23 Irish victory.[20] In Ireland's final game of the tournament, Kendellen scored two tries in his sides 34–28 defeat againstFrance on 13 July,[21] finishing the tournament with six tries in five games and two player of the match awards, having featured in all but 22 minutes of Ireland's campaign.[22]
Kendellen was selected in theEmerging Ireland squad that travelled to South Africa to participate in theToyota Challenge againstCurrie Cup teamsFree State Cheetahs,Griquas andPumas in September–October 2022,[23] however, he was ruled out of the tour due to concussion and returned to Munster to complete the mandatory return-to-play protocols.[24]
