Munster's Seán O'Brien, Niall Scannell and Josh Wycherley have all signed contract extensions with the province.
O'Brien, who can play in the centre and on the wing, signs a two-year deal.
Ireland international hooker Scannell has penned a new one-year deal.
Loosehead prop Wycherley has signed a two-year extension.
Munster press rlease:
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm that Seán O'Brien, Niall Scannell and Josh Wycherley have all signed contract extensions with the province.
26-year-old Seán O'Brien, who can play in the centre and on the wing, has been an excellent addition to the squad since joining in 2023 and signs a two-year deal.
Now in his second season at Munster, O’Brien has scored six tries in 24 appearances since joining from Exeter Chiefs after playing a key role in their progression to the Champions Cup semi-final in 2022/23.
The Westmeath native is a former Ireland U20 international and was a member of the Connacht Rugby Academy before moving to Exeter for two years in 2021.
He enjoyed an excellent debut campaign for Munster last season, scoring five tries in 20 appearances on the wing and in midfield.
His strong form earned a call-up to the Emerging Ireland squad for their tour to South Africa at the start of this campaign.
He made four appearances for Munster this season before a leg injury ruled him out for the past few months.
O’Brien returns to team training this week ahead of Saturday’s URC clash against Scarlets at Thomond Park (5.15pm). The new deal keeps him at Munster until at least 2027.
20-cap Ireland international hooker Niall Scannell has penned a new one-year deal.
He is on track to reach 200 appearances for Munster having scored 22 tries in 189 appearances to date.
Scannell played a key role in Munster’s URC title-winning 2022/23 season, making 22 appearances over the campaign (15 starts).
The 32-year-old hooker made his Munster debut against Scarlets in December 2013 having come up through the ranks at PBC and Dolphin RFC.
He captained PBC to the Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2010 before leading the Ireland U20s at the 2012 Junior World Championship.
Joined by his brother Rory in the starting line-up, the Scannells become the first set of brothers to start for Munster in the URC (then PRO12) away to Newport-Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade in December 2015.
Started on his Ireland debut in the 2017 6 Nations clash with Italy in Rome and went on to feature in the remaining four games of the Championship.
Scannell was nominated for Munster Player of the Year later in 2017 before he and younger brother Rory became the first Munster brothers to play for Ireland together in the professional era against Japan in Shizuoka.
Scannell helped Ireland to a first Test series victory in Australia since 1979 in 2018 and played four games in the 2019 Rugby World Cup before making his 100th Munster appearance away to Racing 92 in January 2020.
He captained the province for the first time in the away win over Zebre the following month before featuring for Ireland in both games against Maori All Blacks on the 2022 New Zealand tour.
Scannell has continued to play a key role with an average of 18 appearances per season over the past three years and has already played 14 games so far this season.
Loosehead prop Josh Wycherley has signed a two-year extension with the province.
A graduate of the Munster Rugby Academy, the 25-year-old has already made 66 appearances having made his debut against Cardiff in 2020.
Wycherley came up through the ranks at Bantry Bay RFC and Cistercian College Roscrea and joined the Academy in 2018, playing his AIL rugby with Young Munster RFC.
He starred in the Ireland U20s’ Grand Slam-winning campaign in 2019 along with Craig Casey and John Hodnett, and also featured prominently in that summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship.
Wycherley made his Champions Cup debut against Harlequins in December 2020 before making his first European start in the memorable away win over Clermont Auvergne the following week.
The 2021/22 season saw Wycherley establish himself as a key member of the squad and he scored two tries in 19 appearances.
He featured for Emerging Ireland on their tour to South Africa in September 2022 and went on to enjoy his best season yet.
The young loosehead made 21 appearances over the campaign as Munster clinched the URC title, featuring in the quarter-final, semi-final and Grand Final victories.
Wycherley featured in 15 games last season, including all Champions Cup games. He played in the first two games of this season but sustained a neck injury in October.
He returned to team training this week ahead of Saturday’s URC clash against Scarlets at Thomond Park.
