AFTER A SEASON that saw them lose a home semi-final in the URC and exit the Champions Cup at the Round of 16 stage, Munster are in the mood to bounce back in 2024/25.
Graham Rowntree’s side kick off their URC efforts against Connacht on Saturday 21 September, while their Champions Cup pool campaign – which begins in December – will see them take on Stade Français, Castres, Saracens, and Northampton.
The summer involved four new players joining from outside the province and a crop of homegrown prospects being promoted from the academy.
There were some big-name departures from Munster at the end of last season as RG Snyman, Joey Carbery, Simon Zebo, and Antoine Frisch bid farewell, but the southern province believe they have serious homegrown talent breaking through. They’re also hoping for better luck on the injury front this season.
In the first of a four-part series looking at the Irish provinces ahead of the new season, we’ve examined the options in Munster’s 44-man senior squad and their academy.
Included in brackets after each player’s name is their age and number of Munster caps in the format [age, caps]. Players have been listed in the order of their number of caps.
Loosehead prop
- Dave Kilcoyne [35, 218]
- Jeremy Loughman [29, 107]
- Josh Wycherley [25, 64]
- Mark Donnelly [23, 9]
It had initially looked like Dave Kilcoyne would be leaving the province at the end of last season but he ended up earning a one-year extension. Unfortunately, the experienced, powerful 35-year-old has suffered an ankle injury in pre-season although Munster say it will keep him sidelined only for the “short-term.”
Jeremy Loughman has become the first-choice for Munster in the number one shirt over the past two seasons, delivering consistently in the 2023/24 campaign even if he fell out of the Ireland mix. The 29-year-old will be determined to change Andy Farrell’s mind.
Josh Wycherley, still only 25, probably feels he has ground to make up on Loughman. Wycherley was part of the Emerging Ireland tour in 2022 and has long been seen as a promising prop but enjoyed only three starts for Munster last season. His contract is due to expire at the end of this campaign, so he will be out to prove a point.
23-year-old Mark Donnelly has been promoted from the academy on a two-year deal, having made nine senior appearances over the past three seasons. He’ll be hoping for a first Munster start this season as he competes with the more experienced trio.
Year 3 academy loosehead Kieran Ryan has already won three senior caps for Munster.
Hooker
- Niall Scannell [32, 175]
- Diarmuid Barron [26, 67]
- Scott Buckley [24, 24]
- Eoghan Clarke [26, 14]
32-year-old Niall Scannell had something of a resurgence at hooker last season in the injury-enforced absence of Diarmuid Barron, so Munster will hope to see a great battle for the number two shirt in the months ahead.
Barron had become a key man and leader for the province before his foot injury, captaining the province on several occasions and also catching the eye of the Ireland coaches. He missed most of the second half of last season so will be highly motivated to re-establish himself as the starter at number two.
Former academy hooker Eoghan Clarke rejoined Munster on a short-term deal last November to cover injuries and the 26-year-old impressed enough to earn himself a contract that covers the upcoming season.
24-year-old Scott Buckley recently returned from a loan spell at Randwick in Australia’s Shute Shield. Like Scannell and Clarke, Buckley’s current contract is up at the end of this season. Chris Moore left Munster last season after a two-year spell in which he didn’t feature in a game.
Tighthead prop
- Stephen Archer [36, 284]
- John Ryan [36, 223]
- Roman Salanoa [26, 30]
- Oli Jager [29, 13]
This will be 6ft 4ins, 127kg Oli Jager’s first full season with Munster having joined from the Crusaders last November, swiftly becoming an Ireland international before suffering a knee injury that slowed up his progress.
Jager was used off the bench by Munster towards the end of last season as they looked for a big second-half impact but he will be the key man moving forward at tighthead prop.
36-year-old duo Stephen Archer and John Ryan have continued to deliver consistently solid performances for their province, with Archer earning a six-month extension that runs until January 2025 and Ryan signing a one-year deal to cover this entire season.
Munster’s long-term hope at tighthead – Hawaii native Roman Salanoa – remains sidelined with the knee issue that meant he didn’t play a single time last season. Prior to that, the powerful tighthead had been on an upward trajectory, even featuring in the Ireland squad during the 2023 Six Nations. The 26-year-old is said to be making good progress with his rehab after a tricky period earlier this year.
South African prop Keynan Knox left Munster last season.
Second row
- Jean Kleyn [31, 137]
- Fineen Wycherley [26, 106]
- Tadhg Beirne [32, 76]
- Thomas Ahern [24, 46]
- Edwin Edogbo [21, 15]
- Cian Hurley [24, 5]
The obvious big loss in this department is Springboks lock RG Synman, even if injuries meant he played just 20 games for Munster in his four years with the province. Still, he is a world-class player when fit and firing so the province need others to step up in the second row.
The great news is that Jean Kleyn, also a World Cup winner with the Springboks, is now nearing a return to full training. He last played in November 2023 and there were worries that an eye issue could even force him to hang up his boots, but he is now nearly ready for a comeback that will be gleefully received by Munster supporters. Kleyn is an excellent tighthead lock, his size and set-piece qualities so often key to the blend of Munster’s pack in the past.
Tadhg Beirne is a world-class second row and became the Munster captain last season after Peter O’Mahony’s decision to step down from the role. Beirne – Munster’s primary lineout caller – leads by example with his all-action approach, which can also be effective from blindside flanker.
The same is true of 24-year-old Thomas Ahern, who had an explosive, coming-of-age impact last season from the number six shirt and in the second row before an ankle injury ended his campaign and his hopes of touring South Africa with Ireland. His first Test cap will surely come sooner rather than later.
Fineen Wycherley, 26, is now a Munster centurion, as well as having one Ireland cap, and his ability to call lineouts is among the reasons he is valuable to this squad.
Munster fans are excited to see 21-year-old lock Edwin Edogbo back in action when he fully recovers from the Achilles tendon injury he suffered in December. He had already earned a two-year senior contract with his muscular performances before that setback and while he still has lots of rehabilitation ahead of him, Edogbo should be a key man for Munster for many seasons to come.
Another man with more rehab in front of him is the desperately unlucky 24-year-old Cian Hurley, whose latest knee injury means he can’t add to his five Munster caps in the near future.
Number eight Gavin Coombes featured in the second row while others were injured last season and started the two recent pre-season games against Bath and Gloucester as a lock too. It’s a handy string to Coombes’ bow.
Academy lock Evan O’Connell is another to watch in the second row for Munster following his impressive performances for the Ireland U20s.
On the contract front, Ahern, Wycherley, and Hurley’s deals expire in the summer of 2025, Kleyn and Edogbo are signed on until 2026, while Beirne’s current IRFU national contract is up at the end of this season.
Back row
- Jack O’Donoghue [30, 203]
- Peter O’Mahony [34, 188]
- Gavin Coombes [26, 98]
- Alex Kendellen [23, 68]
- John Hodnett [25, 59]
- Brian Gleeson [20, 10]
- Jack Daly [26, 8]
It will be fascinating to see how Munster’s back row battle pans out this season, with Rowntree possessing interesting options that also include second rows Beirne and Ahern.
Peter O’Mahony will play on for another year but handed over the Munster captaincy last season. O’Mahony and Jack O’Donoghue, who has passed 200 caps for the province, are the experienced heads in this back row group. O’Donoghue, who can play in all three back row slots, worked his way back into the starting XV at the end of last season and will be aiming to earn a new contract with his current deal up in the summer of 2025.
On the other end of the scale, there is major excitement about 20-year-old number eight Brian Gleeson, one of the outstanding U20 players in the world over the last couple of seasons.
Gleeson has already played for Munster 10 times and has now moved onto a senior contract. The Tipperary man will miss the opening weeks of the season due to a shoulder injury but he looks physically ready to impact thereafter.
Gleeson will surely end up competing for the number eight shirt, which Coombes had made his own in recent years. Coombes was used as an impact replacement by Munster at times last season while also featuring as a lock, but he will surely be determined to resume his role as a key figure at eight.
At number seven, John Hodnett and Alex Kendellen will be fighting for starting honours. Hodnett’s chop tackling and low-centre-of-gravity carrying have caught the eye in recent years, while Kendellen’s combative qualities were to the fore often last season.
Jack Daly will be hoping to finally stay fit for this campaign, with injuries meaning he has made just eight appearances for Munster at the age of 26. He was unlucky to be forced off against Gloucester again on Friday night. His current contract expires next summer.
Meanwhile, the promising Ruadhán Quinn will be confident of continuing his rise after making seven senior appearances in the past two seasons, including two starts at number six. Quinn has done well again in pre-season.
Scrum-half
- Conor Murray [35, 193]
- Craig Casey [25, 87]
- Paddy Patterson [25, 26]
- Ethan Coughlan [22, 10]
25-year-old Craig Casey will be in confident form coming into this season after impressing as he started a Test for Ireland against the Springboks during the summer. That appearance was cut short by concussion but Casey had been enjoying his best game in a green jersey.
Casey has edged past Conor Murray as the Munster first-choice scrum-half but the latter will continue to contribute strongly after signing a one-year deal that covers the upcoming season.
Looking to break up that well-established pairing of Casey and Murray are 25-year-old Paddy Patterson, who made only five appearances last season due to injury, and Ethan Coughlan, who has stepped up from the academy after the departure of Neil Cronin.
With Ireland internationals like Casey and Murray only set to return for round three or four of the URC, there will be chances early on this season. Like Casey and Patterson, Coughlan’s contract runs until the summer of 2026.
Out-half
- Jack Crowley [24, 54]
- Tony Butler [22, 8]
- Billy Burns [30, 0]
Jack Crowley is the main man at number 10 for Munster these days and their key tactical driver on the pitch. Still only 24, he will be pivotal to their hopes of success in the coming years.
With Joey Carbery taking on a new challenge in Bordeaux, Munster went to the market for another experienced out-half and signed Billy Burns from Ulster.
30-year-old Burns has played Test rugby for Ireland and arrives after six years as the first-choice number 10 for the northern province, meaning he brings lots of know-how.
That should make Burns an ideal back-up for Crowley – another Ireland international whose seasonal bow will be delayed – while the talented 22-year-old Tony Butler continues to develop as he moves onto a senior contract for the first time.
Centre
- Rory Scannell [30, 187]
- Seán O’Brien [26, 20]
- Alex Nankivell [27, 19]
- Tom Farrell [30, 0]
- Bryan Fitzgerald [25, 0]
There’s no doubt that losing Antoine Frisch to French rugby was a blow for Munster, even if Toulon paid a transfer fee to secure him, so others will need to step up in order to replace his somewhat unorthodox skillset.
It’s encouraging that Kiwi centre Alex Nankivell, who can play at 12 or 13, had such an excellent first season with the province. His power, aggression, and game understanding will be key as he looks to show more of his offloading skills this time around.
Tom Farrell has arrived from Connacht looking to get back into the form that had him in the wider Ireland squad in 2019. At his best, Farrell is a dangerous attacking weapon thanks to his sharp footwork and deft offloading ability. He could work well in tandem with Nankivell and has looked powerful in pre-season.
Seán O’Brien played lots on the wing in his first year with Munster, having previously only featured in midfield for Connacht and Exeter. While he will continue to be an option wider out, it seems likely he will be battling for a midfield slot primarily. He will be building on a positive first season.
With the stalwart Rory Scannell sidelined by the nasty ankle injury he suffered at the end of last season, Munster have brought in clever Garryowen centre Bryan Fitzgerald on a three-month deal, rewarding his consistently impressive form in the All-Ireland League.
Shane Daly, who has been playing on the wing and at fullback for Munster, started at outside centre in Friday night’s clash with Gloucester. The Cork man was an excellent number 13 for the Ireland U20s in 2016 and has the skillset to do well there again.
Back three
- Mike Haley [30, 106]
- Shane Daly [27, 95]
- Calvin Nash [27, 72]
- Liam Coombes [27, 19]
- Patrick Campbell [22, 12]
- Thaakir Abrahams [25, 0]
- Diarmuid Kilgallen [24, 0]
This has been an area of big change for Munster over the past year, with the legendary Keith Earls, Andrew Conway, and Simon Zebo now all retired.
In their stead, Shane Daly and Calvin Nash have become the key men on the Munster wings, with the latter pushing into international rugby with Ireland and being named the province’s player of the year for last season.
The new joker in the pack is South African flyer Thaakir Abrahams, who can play on the wing or at fullback. The former Sharks hot-stepper’s career slowed up a little in Lyon last season but he brings exciting attacking skills to the mix for Munster.
Another new face looking to break the established wing order is Diarmuid Kilgallen, who has joined from Connacht. Tall and powerful, he scored five tries in six starts for Connacht last season before his campaign was ended by injury.
Mike Haley will be determined to reinforce his status as Munster’s first-choice fullback this season after a frustrating campaign that was affected by injuries in 2023/24.
22-year-old Patrick Campbell, who had his own injury travails last season, is someone who might have designs on that number 15 shirt. He has long been viewed as a big prospect by Munster and can also play on the wing.
Pacy wing Liam Coombes, who didn’t feature at all last season, will be hopeful he can stay fit and get chances to show his qualities after Munster handed him a new one-year deal to cover this campaign. He was once again unlucky to be forced off injured against Gloucester on Friday.
Academy pair Shay McCarthy and Ben O’Connor have already picked up good senior team experience.
Academy
The latest intake of academy talent includes hooker Danny Sheehan, back rows Seán Edogbo – who made an impact against Gloucester – and Luke Murphy, and scrum-half Jake O’Riordan, who showed their potential with the Ireland U20s last season.
There are also two players who joined the academy straight out of school, the gifted centre Gene O’Leary Kareem and impressive lock Michael Foy.
Among the Year 2 contingent are wing Shay McCarthy, who has already made seven senior appearances for Munster, and fullback/wing Ben O’Connor, who has five caps to his name.
Year 3 centre/wing Fionn Gibbons is another who has made his Munster debut and he’s among the crop of players looking to earn senior contracts for next season.
The southern province would love to see promising Year 2 tighthead Ronan Foxe and Year 3 tighthead Darragh McSweeney progress to provide a long-term option in that position, with Year 3 loosehead Kieran Ryan already having featured at senior level.
Back row Quinn looks sure to continue his rise, while second row O’Connell was excellent for the Ireland U20s so there are high hopes he can play senior rugby sooner rather than later.
Year 1:
- Gene O’Leary Kareem [centre]
- Jake O’Riordan [scrum-half]
- Danny Sheahan [hooker]
- Michael Foy [second row]
- Seán Edogbo [back row]
- Luke Murphy [back row]
Year 2:
- Shay McCarthy [back three]
- Ben O’Connor [back three]
- Dylan Hicks [out-half]
- George Hadden [loosehead prop]
- Max Clein [hooker]
- Ronan Foxe [tighthead prop]
Year 3:
- Fionn Gibbons [centre/wing]
- Jack Oliver [scrum-half]
- Kieran Ryan [loosehead prop]
- Darragh McSweeney [tighthead prop]
- Evan O’Connell [second row]
- Ruadhán Quinn [back row]
