Kendellen, O'Connell, and Quinn sign two-year contracts at Munster

Kendellen's new deal will keep the Cork native with his home province until at least 2027.

STAYING PUT: Alex Kendellen of Munster is tackled by Curtis Langdon of Northampton Saints. Pic: Matt Impey/Sportsfile

Munster's Alex Kendellen, Evan O'Connell and Ruadhán Quinn have put pen-to-paper on new two-year contracts with the province. 

Kendellen's new deal will keep the Cork native with the province until at least 2027, while young back-row pair O'Connell - nephew of former Munster lock and current Irish coach Paul - and Ruadhán Quinn will move up to development contracts next year and will both progress to senior contracts for the 2026/27 campaign.

The trio join Tom Ahern, Gavin Coombes, Shane Daly and Alex Nankivell in signing two-year contract extensions ahead of next season with Shay McCarthy moving up from the academy to the senior squad.

Kendellen has scored five tries in 79 Munster appearances having made his senior debut in early 2021. He had joined the academy in 2020, directly after leaving Presentation Brothers College. 

An experienced leader despite his tender years, the Leesider has captained the Ireland under-20s, Emerging Ireland and - having grown up next to Páirc Uí Chaoimh - skippered Munster to the win over Crusaders at the venue in February 2024.

Young second-row O'Connell joined the academy ahead of the 2022/23 season and has gone on to feature for the senior side, as well as prospering on the international stage. 

Munster's Evan O'Connell. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

O’Connell - like Kendellen - has captained the Ireland under-20s squad through the 2024 Six Nations and led the team in South Africa during the under-20s World Championship.

He lined out for the Kendellen-captained Emerging Ireland on their tour to South Africa in October and has made four senior appearances for Munster so far this season, starting on his Champions Cup debut in the win over Stade Francais at Thomond Park.

21-year-old Quinn - who came up through the ranks at Ballina-Killaloe RFC and Crescent College Comprehensive - became Munster’s youngest player of the professional era when he came off the bench against Zebre at Virgin Media Park in October 2022.

He starred for the Ireland under-20s in their 2023 Grand Slam-winning Six Nations campaign and helped the team to the under-20 World Championship final that summer.

To date, Quinn has scored two tries in 14 senior appearances.