Munster finalise squad with two new signings
Storey, 27, a former Auckland Blue, before joining Saracens in January last season, is currently engaged with Northland, having returned to his native New Zealand after featuring in the Zurich Premiership Wild Card play-off against Leicester Tigers on May 31.
The 6ft, 18 stone prop holds an Irish passport and is eligible to play for Ireland.
Australian born Jones-Hughes joins Munster having spent the past number of seasons with Welsh side Newport. He hit the headlines in 1999 when he opted to use his father's Colwyn Bay roots to declare for Wales and he won three caps in the 1999 World Cup.
Jones-Hughes had earlier gone on tour with the Australian squad (Argentina 1997) and had played for the Australian Barbarians. After the 1999 World Cup, injury curtailed any further international involvement but he was involved in the Newport side that played Munster in the 2000-2001 Heineken Cup and played in that memorable match in Rodney Parade which Munster won 39-24.
Commenting on the signings, Munster coach Alan Gaffney said: "I am delighted that the squad has been finalised and we can concentrate fully on getting ourselves ready for a busy season. I am really very pleased with the quality of the two players we have added to the squad. Mike Storey was an Auckland Blue and did a stint with Saracens this season past and I think that says all that needs to be said about his stature in the game.
"I've known Jason since he was about 15. He was Australian A as a youngster before opting to play with Wales. The Australian selectors fought hard to keep him, rightly recognising his huge talent. Jason opted to pursue his international career with Wales. I'm really excited about him realising his huge promise in a Munster shirt."
It is expected that Storey will join the Munster squad after he has completed his commitments with Northland in the NPC, while Jones-Hughes will team up with his new team-mates immediately.
In the meantime, Gaffney has hailed Munster's signing of New Zealand superstar Christian Cullen as arguably the biggest in European rugby history.
Full-back Cullen has been overlooked by All Blacks coach John Mitchell for the 2003 World Cup campaign.
After scoring a remarkable 48 tries in 58 Tests, Cullen's international career would appear to be over.
But the All Blacks' loss is Munster's gain, and he is expected to join his new team-mates in mid-October, once his national provincial championship commitments with Wellington are completed.
And Gaffney is relishing Cullen's arrival, hailing him as "probably the most important and biggest signing ever made by any team in European rugby history".
Cullen will miss Munster's early Celtic League programme, but should be in prime form by early December, when the 2003-04 Heineken Cup kicks off.
"His signing is just a fantastic thing not just for Munster, but for all rugby supporters in the northern hemisphere," Gaffney said. "Quite simply, he is an icon of the world game.
"He will bring so many things to Munster a world-class individual game, he will enable us to expand our overall game, and will certainly give us additional options.
"I am also positive that the games of players like Jeremy (Staunton) and Mossie (Lawlor) will develop even more with him around.
"The interest his signing has generated has been phenomenal, and I hope the grounds we play at can accommodate everyone who seems to want to come and see him play. We are really looking forward to his arrival."
Elsewhere, Celtic League chiefs have admitted they are still searching for a title sponsor to back next season's rugby union competition which kicks off in just four weeks' time.
Tournament director Keith Grainger said he remained optimistic that support can be found, both for the 12-team Celtic League and Celtic Cup events.
The Celtic League will embark on its third season, while the Celtic Cup is new to the rugby calendars of the 12 professional sides from Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
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