It has been confirmed that JJ Hanrahan will depart the province at the end of the season as he makes the move to Top 14 side Clermont Auvergne, while Darren Sweetnam has departed the province to link up with La Rochelle for the remainder of the season.
Sweetnam has completed his time with Munster Rugby having requested an early release from his contract to join the Top 14 outfit as a medical joker.
The 27-year-old made 92 appearances for the province, scoring 22 tries, while on the international front he represented Ireland on three occasions and scored a try on his first start against Fiji in November 2017.
28-year-old Hanrahan, who joins Clermont on a one-year deal with the option of a second, has made 140 appearances for the province and has been a central figure in Johann van Grann’s squad since his return from Northampton Saints in 2017.
"We’ve said from the beginning we want to retain all of our players but unfortunately the harsh realities of what’s happened over the past year have come to a head. Due to the challenges stemming from the Covid landscape we are not in a position to hold onto players of their calibre, and we are sorry to see them both go.
"Darren is a hugely talented player who has a chance to play in the premier French competition over the coming months and while we are disappointed to see him leave, we are supportive of the move with the hope of seeing him secure future opportunities and success in his career."
"Similarly, JJ is a fantastic player and has been a great servant to Munster Rugby. While JJ has a fantastic opportunity ahead of him we still have a job to do here and we look forward to him successfully seeing out his time in the red jersey."
JJ Hanrahan said, "It was difficult to hear the news regarding my future with Munster Rugby, however, it has been a dream come true and a privilege to represent my home province and wear the jersey for eight years.
