Three players who were with Connacht last year will be plying their trade in France this season.

Mark McHugh, of course, has joined Montpellier, while promising young lock forward David McGowan from Sligo has joined Pro D2 side La Rochelle.

Gavin Williams, son of the former All-Black Bryan, spent a year and a half with Connacht before his Samoan ancestry saw him called into their squad for the World Cup.

Williams has not looked back, scoring the opening try of the match against South Africa before the Springboks cut loose for a 59-7 win. Williams kicked all the points in Samoa's surprise 25-15 defeat to Tonga.

But while Samoa will be heading home after the pool stages, Wiliams will be staying on in France as he signed a deal with Dax earlier in the summer.

Another former Connacht player who will be in France next year is Mick Carroll, who also enjoyed some great days with Galwegians whom he joined after coming west from Blackrock College.

Carroll, a versatile back-five player, became the first non-French man to captain Racing Club 92 when he was given the skipper's job a year ago.

The club, which has a declared budget of €9.9m (that's more than double what Munster have at their disposal) has made a series of high-profile summer signings as they bid to reach the top flight and become the second Paris club in France's Top 14.

Carroll will have the chance to meet some old friends when Blackrock College take on Racing Club at Colomiers next Friday week in a pre-season encounter.

Hewitt has joined Esher who play in National League One in England, who have a win and a loss after two games in a division where Damian Brown's and Christian Short's Northampton Saints is fancied to prevail come the end of the season.

Hewitt is playing in the centre while the full-back is none other than former Lion and Irish international Rob Henderson, who just can't seem to retire. The 34 year old spent a season with free-spending Toulon in the south of France after leaving Munster before joining the Surrey side as he also embarks on the television punditry circuit during the World Cup.

The Northern Ireland native spent many years in Australia before looking after the welfare of the Connacht players for three seasons.

He has been with the Ospreys in Swansea for the last couple of years but has now moved across the English border and taken up a position with Worcester Warriors.

Corinthians will have home advantage when they take on Buccs in the other semi-final.

The final is pencilled in for October 7th.

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