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Munster announce a whopping 12 contract extensions
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm 12 player contract extensions for the province. Nine of the 12 players are products of the province’s underage or Academy pathway.
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John Ryan has signed a three-year deal that will see him remain with Munster Rugby until at least June 2022.
Tighthead prop Ryan has made 130 appearances in red since his debut in 2011 and has 16 Ireland caps. The 30-year-old most recently scored his first international try in Ireland’s win against the USA in November.
Ryan is ranked second in the world in RugbyPass Index for tighthead prop with an RPI of 89 and a scrum score of 87.
Brothers Niall and Rory Scannell, Darren Sweetnam, Jack O’Donoghue, JJ Hanrahan, Alex Wootton, Rhys Marshall and young guns Fineen Wycherley and Calvin Nash have all signed on for a further two years, committing to the province until at least June 2021.
Hooker Niall Scannell made his Munster debut in December 2013 and has made 79 appearances to date. On the international front the 26-year-old has earned 11 Ireland caps and like Ryan recently featured in the November Guinness Series.
Centre Rory Scannell has played for Munster on 92 occasions and has three Ireland caps. The 24-year-old became the first player to win both Munster Academy and Young Player of the Year in the 2015/16 season.
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25-year-old Sweetnam has represented the province on 66 occasions and was named Young Player of the Year at the 2016/17 Munster Rugby Awards. The winger made his third appearance for Ireland when starting against the USA in November.
Back-row forward O’Donoghue has made 93 appearances in red and won the Academy Player of the Year in 2015. The 24-year-old became the first Waterford player to captain Munster in the professional era in February 2018. He has represented Ireland on two occasions.
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26-year-old Hanrahan, who returned to the province in 2017, made his Munster debut in September 2012 and has 92 Munster caps. Featuring across the backline, the 26-year-old won the province’s Young Player of the Year and the League’s Golden Boot Award in 2014.
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Taking the exiles route, 24-year-old Wootton joined the Munster Academy in 2013 making the step up to the senior ranks in 2016. The winger has scored 13 tries in 34 appearances and was the province’s top try-scorer last season.
Kiwi hooker Marshall joined the province on a three-year contract in 2016, making his Munster debut that November. The 26-year-old has featured for the province on 55 occasions, scoring ten tries.
Promoted to the senior ranks on a development contract at the start of this season, 20-year-old lock/back-row forward Wycherley was awarded Academy Player of the Year in 2018 and has scored one try in 11 games for Munster.
Fellow development player Nash also made the step up from the Academy at the beginning of the season with the 21-year-old winger scoring two tries in eight Munster appearances.
Arno Botha and Jeremy Loughman have signed one-year extensions and will remain with the province until June 2020.
Back-row forward Botha joined Munster in the summer and has made an immediate impact with two tries in nine appearances.
Prop Loughman joined the province midway through last season and has made five PRO14 appearances to date including his first start against Zebre last month.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Nice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
38 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
38 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
10 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
38 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
10 Go to commentsWowee!
10 Go to commentsEvery team that has played a game in Africa this Champions Cup season is already out of the competition - including the SA teams. Could be a concidence.
30 Go to commentsthat should offer some experiences for Jordie.
10 Go to comments