MUNSTER HAVE ADDED three new players to their academy ahead of next season, including Ireland U20 out-half Jack Crowley.
Ireland U19 international hooker Scott Buckley and former Ireland U18s captain and back row Alex Kendellen have also been recruited into year one of the province’s academy programme.
Munster say there “may be further additions” to their academy ranks in the coming months.
21-year-old hooker Diarmuid Barron has been promoted to a senior contract for the 2020/21 season after two years in the academy.
Cashel RFC and Rockwell College product Barron, who played for the Ireland U20s in 2017 and 2018, has already earned seven senior caps for Munster and has also impressed for AIL club Garryowen.
Barron joins tighthead prop Keynan Knox, back row Jack O’Sullivan, wing Liam Coombes, and centre Alex McHenry in stepping up onto a senior contract next season.
Meanwhile, scrum-half Jack Stafford and out-half/fullback Alan Tynan have been released after completing three years in Munster’s academy.
There is excitement among Munster fans about the potential of 20-year-old playmaker Crowley after his impressive appearances for the Ireland U20s in the Six Nations this year.
Crowley came through Bandon RFC and Bandon Grammar School and now plays his club rugby with Cork Con. He was named AIL Division 1A Rising Star for the 2019/20 season and has featured for Munster’s A team.
Back row Kendellen joins the Munster academy straight out of school at Presentation Brothers College, Cork, having captained them to the Munster Schools Senior Cup this year.
19-year-old Kendellen has previously played for Ireland Schools and the Ireland U18 Sevens team.
Hooker Buckley captained Cristian Brothers College, Cork to their Munster Schools Senior Cup success in 2019, scoring the only try of the final against PBC.
19-year-old Buckley played for Ireland at U18 and U19 levels and went on to feature for Munster A at the start of the 2019/20 season, captaining the side in one game, only to suffer an unfortunate hamstring injury that sidelined him for much of the campaign.
Munster’s academy now features 15 players ahead of the 2020/21 campaign, although they may add further new recruits in the coming months.
Greencore Munster academy for 2020/21:
Year Three:
Thomas Ahern (Lock/Shannon)
Jack Daly (Back row/Garryowen)
Ben Healy (Out-half/Garryowen)
James French (Prop/UCC)
Seán French (Centre/Cork Con)
Eoghan Clarke (Hooker/Shannon)
Jonathan Wren (Back three/Cork Con)
Josh Wycherley (Prop/Young Munster)
Year Two:
Jake Flannery (Out-half/fullback/Shannon)
John Hodnett (Back row/UCC)
Paddy Kelly (Lock/Young Munster)
Eoin O’Connor (Lock/Young Munster)
Year One:
Scott Buckley (Hooker/UCC)
Jack Crowley (Out-half/Cork Con)
Alex Kendellen (Back-row forward/PBC).
