SCRUM-HALF NICK McCarthy is set to leave Munster and re-join his native Leinster ahead of next season.
The 25-year-old has been with Munster since 2019 but The42 understands that McCarthy is in line to return to Leinster this summer.
The former Ireland U20 international first broke into Leinster’s senior set-up in the 2015/16 season and went on to make 36 appearances for the province, including an appearance in the 2019 Pro14 final win over Glasgow.
However, McCarthy opted for a move to Munster that summer and has spent the last two seasons as part of Johann van Graan’s squad.
Opportunities haven’t been regular, with McCarthy making just six starts in his time with the province so far, but it’s understood that he was offered a contract extension by Munster.
McCarthy is instead set to opt for a return to Leinster ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.
Luke McGrath and Jamison Gibson-Park are the two frontline scrum-halves in Leinster, with the latter currently part of Ireland’s Six Nations squad.
Hugh O’Sullivan and Rowan Osborne are also in Leinster’s senior squad, while their academy includes Paddy Patterson – who is on loan with Munster at the moment – and Cormac Foley.
McCarthy is now set to back himself for a return to his native province as he looks for increased game time.
With Conor Murray and Craig Casey away in Ireland camp, St Michael’s College product McCarthy started at scrum-half for Munster yesterday against Benetton and delivered a superb pass for JJ Hanrahan’s dramatic winning drop goal.
