Munster Confirm One-Year Extension For Niall Scannell

With 14 matches under his belt already this season, the 20-times capped Ireland international is on track to reach 200 appearances for Munster. He has scored 22 tries in 189 games to date.

Scannell played a key role in Munster’s BKT United Rugby Championship title-winning 2022/23 season. He made 22 appearances over the campaign, including 15 starts.

The 32-year-old front rower made his senior debut for Munster against the Scarlets in December 2013, having come up through the ranks at PBC Cork and Dolphin RFC.

He captained PBC to Pinergy Munster Schools Senior Cup success in 2010, before leading the Ireland Under-20 Men’s team at the 2012 World Rugby U-20 Championship.

Joined by his younger 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 the Dragons at Rodney Parade in December 2015.

Niall started on his Ireland debut in the 2017 Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome, and went on to feature in the remaining four games in the Championship.

Nominated for the Munster Player of the Year award later in 2017, he and Rory became the first Munster brothers to play for Ireland together in the professional era against Japan in Shizuoka.

The following year he helped Ireland win a first Test series in Australia since 1979, before playing four times at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

After becoming a Munster centurion against Racing 92 in January 2020, he captained the province for the first time in the away win over Zebre the following month.

Scannell, who featured for Ireland twice against the Māori All Blacks during the 2022 summer tour, has continued to play a key role for Munster with an average of 18 appearances per season over the past three years.