Munster set to swell back-three options with Thaakir Abrahams signing 

The South African speedster can cover both full-back and wing, in the ilk of current Springbok mainstays Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse.

MUNSTER-BOUND: Thaakir Abrahams of Lyon is tackled by Shayne Bolton of Connacht during the Investec Champions Cup Pool Stages. Pic: Romain Biard, Sportsfile

Munster boss Graham Rowntree appears set to swell his back-three options with the signing of wing/full-back Thaakir Abrahams from Top 14 outfit Lyon. 

With the looming retirement of Simon Zebo, added to the previous departures of Keith Earls and Andrew Conway from the game, Munster's options in the back-field were due to take a hit ahead of the 2024/25 United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup campaigns, but it is expected the arrival of Abrahams will be announced as early as this week. 

As reported in French news outlet Le Progrès, the former Sharks man is set to join the reigning URC champions, having being granted a release from the final year of his deal with Lyon.

The 24-year-old South African speedster is an evasive runner, in the ilk of current Springbok mainstays Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, and will make up for the missing flair of the soon-to-retire Zebo.

Having enjoyed a fruitful try-scoring campaign with the Sharks in 2022/23, his move to the Top 14 and Lyon has not worked out in the way he would have envisaged, in terms of domestic game-time. However, he did cross for five tries in four Champions Cup pool appearances this campaign. 

Abrahams will vie for game-time in the Mike-Prendergast-run Munster backline against established starters Shane Daly, Calvin Nash and Mike Haley, as well as the incoming Diarmuid Kilgallen.

Liam Coombes - a recent returnee from a lengthy injury absence - and younger back-three players such as Patrick Campbell, Ben O'Connor and Shay McCarthy will also be pushing for increased minutes in red. 

The arrival of Abrahams from Lyon is set to be the third new recruit at Munster, with Kilgallen and fellow back Tom Farrell coming in from rivals Connacht, while Antoine Frisch and RG Snyman will head to Toulon and Leinster, respectively. 

Elsewhere, former Ireland under-20 assistant coach Jimmy Duffy is set to link up with Richie Murphy as part of the Ulster coaching ticket next season. 

Duffy - having previously worked alongside newly-appointed Ulster head coach Murphy with the 20s - will coach the Ulster forwards upon his return from Super Rugby Pacific outfit, the Western Force, where he has spent the last two years.