Munster statement: World Cup winner Malakai Fekitoa is leaving

Former All Blacks midfielder Malakai Fekitoa will exit Munster after just a single season at the club. The 30-year-old was a high-profile signing from Wasps on a two-year deal that was announced on February 2 last year, but the Irish province are now planning to do without him for the 2023/24 season.

A statement read: “Munster Rugby can confirm that Malakai Fekitoa will depart at the end of the campaign after one year at the province. So far this season, Malakai has made 11 Munster appearances including nine starts, playing at inside centre and outside centre.

“He made his Champions Cup debut for Munster away to Toulouse last month and featured in the historic victory over South Africa at Pairc Ui Chaoimh in November. A World Cup winner with New Zealand in 2015, Malakai now represents his native Tonga at international level.”

Fekitoa won 25 caps for the All Blacks between 2014 and 2017 before moving to Europe where he spent two seasons at Toulon and three more at Wasps before taking up an offer to join Munster. That was a timely move for the centre as Wasps financially collapsed not long after he had left the English club.

Having served the mandatory stand-down period, Fekitoa changed national team allegiance from New Zealand to Tonga, the country of his birth. He initially represented them at an Olympics 7s qualifier on 2021 before going on to play Test XVs last year.