JP Ferreira, the Munster defence coach, has renewed his contract by another two years, while further positive news for the province is that Graham Rowntree, the former England prop, has arrived to take over from Jerry Flannery as forwards coach.

Three Academy players are included in the squad.

New Zealand half-backs Tyler Bleyendaal and Alby Mathewson are among five players to sign contract extensions at Munster.

No matter how well things are going, there is always something to knock you off kilter.

Returning out-half Tyler Bleyendaal will captain Munster in Sunday’s PRO14 encounter against Cheetahs, head coach Johann van Graan confirmed yesterday.

Scrum-half issues further up the chain have impacted on Munster A head coach Peter Malone’s selection for the visit of Dragons A to Cork this afternoon for this Celtic Cup third round game (5:30pm).

Simon Zebo starts at full-back in his final game for Munster, with 12 changes to the side that drew 24-all with Ulster last weekend.

Munster Rugby and the IRFU have this morning confirmed that Dave O'Callaghan, Brian Scott and Ciaran Parker have all signed contract extensions.

Haley is Irish-qualified through his maternal grandmother, who hails from Tralee, Co Kerry.

Bundee Aki’s debut for Ireland this evening may be controversial but it will soon be a moot point.

Lansdowne 24 Cork Constitution 10: Scott Deasy came back to scupper his former club on the Aviva Stadium’s back pitch yesterday as Lansdowne earned a 24-10 win over Ulster Bank League champions Cork Constitution.

There will be more searching examinations this season of Munster’s Guinness PRO14 title credentials than those posed by Benetton Rugby last Friday in Cork but as opening-night performances go, there was much from which Rassie Erasmus could take pleasure.

Munster 34 Benetton Rugby 3: New league, new season, same old Italians.

The dawn of a new era is upon us as the expanded, Springbok-tinged Guinness Pro14 kicks off tonight in Belfast but at the same time in Cork it is the departure of South African talent that will, alas, mark the opening weeks of the fledgling league campaign.

One imagines Nigel Carolan and the rest of his U20s management team have spent many an hour poring over footage of England’s opening Six Nations loss to Wales in Colwyn Bay this last two weeks.