MUNSTER RUGBY HAVE confirmed that seven players will depart the province this summer.
Senior players Tony Butler, Fionn Gibbons, Paddy Patterson and Andrew Smith, and academy trio George Hadden, Darragh McSweeney and Dylan Hicks, will all move on.
“A big thanks to Tony, Fionn, Paddy, Andrew, George, Darragh and Dylan for their contributions to Munster Rugby and we wish them all the best for the future,” a statement reads.
Out-half Butler scored 76 points in 28 appearances for Munster over his three years in the academy and two years in the senior squad.
A fellow 2022 Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s, Gibbons made three senior appearances for the province after joining the academy in 2022 and moving up to the senior squad for last season.
A big thanks to Tony Butler, Fionn Gibbons, Paddy Patterson & Andrew Smith for their contributions to Munster Rugby as they depart this summer.
Everyone at Munster Rugby wishes Tony, Fionn, Paddy & Andrew the very best for the future.
Patterson scored five tries in 51 appearances, having joined from the Leinster academy in January 2021. The scrum-half was particularly influential in the URC title-winning season of 2022/23.
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Smith bagged four tries in 11 appearances – including in Champions Cup action – since signing from Connacht in March of last year. An Olympian with the Irish Sevens team in Paris, Smith scored one try in seven appearances this campaign.
All former Ireland U20s, Hadden and McSweeney were academy props, while Hicks played at out-half.
Munster say that full details on the squad that will begin pre-season will be released in the coming weeks.
- Exciting group -
That process began with the announcement of eight academy recruits for next season.
All eight are Ireland U20 squad members in Christopher Barrett, Rob Carney, Jamie Conway, Joe Finn, Christian Foley, Alex Lautsou, James O’Leary, and Charlie O’Shea.
“This is one of the most exciting groups that we have seen progress into the Academy,” said general manager Ian Costello.
Barrett and O’Shea were the half-back pairing that led CBC to Munster Schools Senior Cup glory in 2025, while centre O’Leary also lifted that crown with PBC.
Munster Rugby can confirm eight promising young players have joined the Academy ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Max Clein, Seán Edogbo, Ronan Foxe, and Ben O’Connor are being promoted to the senior squad, while Michael Foy will spend one more year in the academy before moving up in 2027.
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Munster Rugby confirm seven departures and eight academy recruits
LAST UPDATE | 1 hr ago
MUNSTER RUGBY HAVE confirmed that seven players will depart the province this summer.
Senior players Tony Butler, Fionn Gibbons, Paddy Patterson and Andrew Smith, and academy trio George Hadden, Darragh McSweeney and Dylan Hicks, will all move on.
“A big thanks to Tony, Fionn, Paddy, Andrew, George, Darragh and Dylan for their contributions to Munster Rugby and we wish them all the best for the future,” a statement reads.
Out-half Butler scored 76 points in 28 appearances for Munster over his three years in the academy and two years in the senior squad.
A fellow 2022 Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s, Gibbons made three senior appearances for the province after joining the academy in 2022 and moving up to the senior squad for last season.
Patterson scored five tries in 51 appearances, having joined from the Leinster academy in January 2021. The scrum-half was particularly influential in the URC title-winning season of 2022/23.
Smith bagged four tries in 11 appearances – including in Champions Cup action – since signing from Connacht in March of last year. An Olympian with the Irish Sevens team in Paris, Smith scored one try in seven appearances this campaign.
All former Ireland U20s, Hadden and McSweeney were academy props, while Hicks played at out-half.
Munster say that full details on the squad that will begin pre-season will be released in the coming weeks.
- Exciting group -
That process began with the announcement of eight academy recruits for next season.
All eight are Ireland U20 squad members in Christopher Barrett, Rob Carney, Jamie Conway, Joe Finn, Christian Foley, Alex Lautsou, James O’Leary, and Charlie O’Shea.
“This is one of the most exciting groups that we have seen progress into the Academy,” said general manager Ian Costello.
Barrett and O’Shea were the half-back pairing that led CBC to Munster Schools Senior Cup glory in 2025, while centre O’Leary also lifted that crown with PBC.
Max Clein, Seán Edogbo, Ronan Foxe, and Ben O’Connor are being promoted to the senior squad, while Michael Foy will spend one more year in the academy before moving up in 2027.
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