Yes. The 'A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Star Played Irish Rugby

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms star Peter Claffey is a former Ireland U20, Connacht rugby player. Here’s how his rugby career connects to HBO’s new series

Feb 6, 2026 by Joe Harrington

Yes. The 'A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms' Star Played Irish Rugby

If rugby fans thought the new Game of Thrones spinoff series “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” had a western Ireland feel to it, they weren’t wrong.

The third series set in George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones universe stars Peter Claffey of Galway, Ireland, who is a former member of the Ireland U20 team and a player from the local province club team.

Claffey stars as Ser Duncan the Tall in the new HBO series, which debuts in January 2026. He portrays a legendary knight who was mentioned in the original series. The show is based on Martin’s 1998 book "The Hedge Knight."

Here’s what to know about Peter Claffey’s rugby ties.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Star Peter Claffey Played in the U20 Six Nations

The 2026 Six Nations begins on Feb. 5 when Ireland plays France, and there’s probably an alternate universe where Claffey is on the Ireland team.

The 6-foot-5 Claffey was part of the 2016 Ireland Under-20 squad that competed in the U20 Six Nations. He played in matches against France and England.

Peter Claffey Played for Connacht Rugby

Claffey played for Connacht from 2018–2019 following his U20 Six Nations experience but never broke through to the senior side. He left rugby in 2019 and enrolled at the Bow Street Academy for Screen Acting in Dublin.

From the scrum to the screen 🏉 ➡️ 🎭

Peter Claffey talks his leap from rugby to acting and gives a Six Nations preview that raises eyebrows 👀

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be available from 19th January on Sky and streaming service NOW 📺#AKnightOfTheSevenKingdoms pic.twitter.com/xCtLtiUBJb
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) January 18, 2026

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