THE EDOGBO BROTHERS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MUNSTER’S NEWEST STARS

It’s fair to say there aren’t many families who would’ve had as good a week as Cork’s Edogbo family would’ve had.

Firstly, Edwin Edogbo scored two tries at Thomond Park and got called up by Andy Farrell for Ireland’s Six Nations squad for the first time and could be in line to make his International Test debut after only returning from 22 months on the sideline with injury in October.

Then, younger brother Sean Edogbo was named as a start for Munster’s Friday night clash against the Dragons at Virgin Media Park in Cork in what will be his first full team match for the Red Army. These two brothers have a big future ahead of them, so let’s look at how they got here.

Edwin Edogbo was born on December 21 2002, in Cork to Nigerian parents Patience and Agustin Edogbo. Sean came along just 18 months later on May 18 2004.

The pair grew up in Cobh, and it was actually Sean who took up rugby first, playing mini rugby for Cobh Pirates. Edwin wasn’t the sporty type immediately, and it took a bit longer for him to take up anythin when he started playing rugby, he was a natural.

Speaking with the Irish Independent in 2022, Edwin’s former coach at Cobh, Kevin O’Keefe, recalled that ‘When Edwin started first, he had no rugby boots or anything, he might have borrowed a pair from his brother.’

He started in the centre but quickly became a forward, and as he grew, he began to gain attention from the Munster scouts, and it’s easy to see why with his 6’5 frame.

Having not gone to a traditional rugby school in Cork, it probably took a bit longer for Edogbo to make many waves in the province, but at just 1,9 he burst into the spotlight as he made his Munster first team debut against the Dragons in September 2022, and would make his first start against the Bulls a month later.

He amazingly never represented Ireland at Uthe 20 level, having missed the boat with injury in 2023, and that year saw Edogbo suffer the first of what would become two Achilles tendon ruptures, which unfortunately meant he missed 22 months of rugby.

He only returned in October 2025, and he felt like a new signing for Munster. While he has had his minutes managed, he’s made the most out of any time he’s had on the turf and has finally been called up for the Ireland squad for next month’s Six Nations.

Younger brother Sean has been touted as a ‘one to watch’ for a while now. A bit smaller in stature but a bit more athletic than his older brother, Seanalsoo came through the ranks at Cobh Pirates and Coláiste Muire before playing for UCC in the AIL.

He starred for the college, going viral for a try he scored in Dublin against Old Belvedere and was part of the 2024 Ireland U20 squad, which came a whisker away from making it three Grand Slams in a row as they drew with England away in Bath before losing the title on points difference to the old enemy.

Edogbo once again starred in that campaign, memorably scoring a magnificent try to win Ireland the game against Italy and avoid what would’ve been a huge upset.

He scored three tries during that Six Nations campaign and would play a part in the World Championships as Ireland went all the way to the semi-finals, where they lost to England.

He was also signed to the Munster academy like his brother and featured in Munster’s pre-season friendly against Bath last August. He is now in line to make his first team debut for the province in what should be an exciting back row for the future alongside Ruadhan Quinn and Brian Gleeson.

These two are finally making waves in the senior gam,e and all going well, should be stars at that level as they’ve been all the way through. It’s exciting times ahead for the Cobh family.

2026-01-22T21:29:19Z