Mick O’Driscoll has rejected the opportunity to return to France by signing a new deal with Munster. The second row, who spent two years with Perpignan before returning to Munster in 2005, is now likely to see out his career with the Heineken Cup semi-finalists.

But the province have lost the highly-rated prop Timmy Ryan who will be joining Leinster’s Felipe Contepomi at Toulon next year.

Ryan is understood to have turned down a full-time contract with Munster in favour of broadening his rugby horizons.

“While I believe it will benefit my game in the short term to experience a foreign rugby culture,” Ryan said, ” I would hopefully see myself returning to Munster at some stage in the future and continuing my career in what is a superb set-up.”

The Munster squad, meanwhile, were put through their paces in Musgrave Park this morning with their date at Croke Park just over 48 hours away.

The team will travel by train to Dublin tomorrow afternoon with the starting line-up due to be named at 12 noon.