IRISH LOCK DARREN O’Shea has signed for French Pro D2 club Vannes on a two-year contract ahead of the 2020/21 season.

The 27-year-old left his native Munster this summer and will now move his career to France to join the Brittany-based Vannes.

6ft 9ins second row O’Shea came through the underage ranks with Crosshaven RFC and  earned a spot in the Munster system but opted for a move abroad to join Worcester Warriors in 2014 after just one year in the province’s academy.

O’Shea was prominent in helping Worcester to promotion from the Championship in his first season in England before his opportunities faded in his second year with the Warriors.

He rejoined Munster in 2016 and played for the senior side more than 40 times in his four seasons back with the province, while also featuring for Dolphin in the AIL.

O’Shea was among the departing players this summer, however, and he has now linked up with Vannes, who lost Irish second row Dan Tuohy to enforced retirement and have seen several other key lineout forwards depart this summer.

“Darren is a product of the province of Munster, with the associated standards in forward play,” said Vannes’s sporting director, Jean-Noël Spitzer.

“He is a reassuring presence in the lineout after the departures of Dan, Hugh [Chalmers], Nick [Civetta] and Andy [Cramond].

“Without being a first-choice player in Munster, he played regularly and was responsible for calling the lineout.

“Darren is a player who has experienced the Pro14 and knows how to move despite his size. He knows how to do the unseen work in mauls and the scrum.”