AFTER THREE SEASONS with London Irish, it looks like Tomás O’Leary is on his way back to Munster.
O’Leary’s contract with the Exiles expires at the end of the current campaign, and Gerry Thornley reports in today’s Irish Times that the scrum-half will be back in a Munster jersey next season.
With Conor Murray likely to be unavailable to the province for the early part of next season due to his World Cup commitments with Ireland, the experienced O’Leary could provide adequate cover in the number nine shirt.
The 31-year-old left Munster to sign a three-year deal with London Irish in 2012, despite also being linked with a switch to Perpignan at the time.
But O’Leary’s time in England has been hampered by injuries, which have restricted him to eight appearances this season and 42 in total since joining London Irish, who are currently third-from-bottom in the Aviva Premiership.
O’Leary made 127 appearances over his seven seasons with Munster, during which he won Heineken Cup medals in 2006 and ’08. He also earned a Lions call-up in 2009 but missed the tour of South Africa after suffering a broken ankle.
A return to Munster may give O’Leary a chance to force his way back in to the international set-up. Capped 24 times, the Corkman hasn’t played for Ireland since March 2012.
