Munster announce contract extensions with Ryan set for three game ban

The disciplinary process related to John Ryan’s citing in the game against Cardiff Rugby on Saturday, March 30 has resulted in a three game suspension.

Munster Rugby and the IRFU have confirmed contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.

Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.

Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.

Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.

A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.

The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.

25-year-old flanker Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.

Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen.

A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.

20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.

Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.

The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.

In other news, the disciplinary process related to John Ryan’s citing in the BKT United Rugby Championship Round 13 game against Cardiff Rugby on Saturday, March 30 has resulted in a three game suspension.

The Citing Commissioner in charge reported Ryan for an act of foul play in the 59th minute which resulted in a Yellow Card under Law 9.18 – a player must not lift an opponent off the ground and drop or drive that player so that their head and/or upper body make contact with the ground.

The Panel overseeing the disciplinary process Robert Milligan (Chair, SRU), Rod McKenzie (SRU) and Stefan Terblanche (SARU), found that the incident met the Red Card threshold, with entry of low-range warranting a six-game suspension.

Ryan accepted that he had committed an act of foul play but that it had not warranted a Red Card. However, the Panel reduced the suspension to three games (50% mitigation) due to his good record, apology and exemplary conduct in the hearing which results in a three-game suspension.

Fixtures Ryan is unavailable for:

Northampton Saints v Munster, 7 April 2024, Investec Champions Cup

**Investec Champions Cup Quarter Final, 12/13/14 April

Vodacom Bulls v Munster, 20 April 2024, BKT URC

Emirates Lions v Munster, 27 April 2024, BKT URC

**Should Munster not qualify for the Investec Champions Cup Quarter Final, the fixture against Emirates Lions will stand as the third game suspension.