Latest news with #RoryScannell
The 42
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Rory Scannell to depart Munster after 12 years and 200 caps
MUNSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that Rory Scannell will depart the province this summer after 12 years. The 31-year-old centre is one of only 16 Munster players to have reached the milestone of 200 caps. The former PBC student won three caps for Ireland, making his senior debut against the USA in New Jersey in the 2017 summer tour, playing alongside his borther Niall as they became the first Munster brothers to play for Ireland in the professional era. Scannell originally starred at international level for the Ireland U20s team in the 2013 Six Nations. Advertisement He made his Munster senior debut in a pre-season game against London Irish later in 2013, pushing on from the Academy to the senior squad. A Munster man through and through.@Scannell_Rory12 will depart the province this summer after 12 years, 200 appearances & 3 @IrishRugby caps. Very few players have contributed as much as he has over the past 12 years both on and off the field – #ThanksRory ❤️ #SUAF 🔴 — Munster Rugby (@Munsterrugby) June 5, 2025 Scannell reached the 100 appearance mark for Munster in March 2019 against Scarlets and then played 16 times in the 2023 season that saw Munster win the URC title. His last outing came last Saturday in the URC quarter-final loss against Sharks, winning his landmark 200th cap. 'It's a huge honour to have played for my home club 200 times, particularly alongside my brother,' said Scannell. Munster's Rory Scannell and Niall Scannell celebrate with the trophy after the 2023 URC final in Cape Town. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO 'It's been a rollercoaster of ups and downs over the last 12 years, but I have made so many great memories that will live with me forever. 'I've met some great people here and made friends for life. 'The squad is in a great place and I just want to wish the club very best of luck going forward and I will be supporting them wherever I am.'
The Irish Sun
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Munster Rugby exodus continues as province bid farewell to Ireland star & ‘through & through Red'
MUNSTER have announced that Rory Scannell is to depart the club after 200 appearances in 12 seasons with the Reds. The 31-year-old's looming exit is the latest in a long line of veterans leaving for one reason or another. 3 His final outing came in Saturday's URC play-off exit at the hands of Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban 3 Being consoled by his brother Niall after the Reds came up just short after an epic 100-minute battle 3 The centre earned the first of his three senior Ireland caps in 2017 Former captain Peter O'Mahony as well as Stephen Archer This afternoon Munster issued a statement hailing the 31-year-old for his contributions over the years. It read: "A Munster man through and through. Rory Scannell will depart the province this summer after 12 years, 200 appearances & 3 Ireland caps. "Very few players have contributed as much as he has over the past 12 years both on and off the field. Thank you Rory." Read More On Irish Sport The man himself highlighted the particular pride he felt at having soldiered alongside his brother Niall. He emphasized: 'It's a huge honour to have played for my home club 200 times, particularly alongside my brother. 'It's been a rollercoaster of ups and downs over the last 12 years, but I have made so many great memories that will live with me forever. 'I've met some great people here and made friends for life. Most read in Rugby Union 'The squad is in a great place and I just want to wish the club very best of luck going forward and I will be supporting them wherever I am.' Head of Rugby Operations and Interim Head Coach Ian Costello heaped on praise as he described Scannell's impact on and off the pitch. 'Jack Crowley he's coming for you' jokes Peter O'Mahony's wife Jess as son practices his rugby skills He added: 'Everyone in the province couldn't speak highly enough of Rory as a player and a person. 'Very few players have contributed as much as he has to Munster Rugby over the past 12 years both on and off the field. 'He is the youngest ever player to reach 100 caps for Munster and was a key member of our leadership group. 'He is the ultimate team player and an excellent team-mate, always putting the club before himself. 'An extremely popular member of the squad, he will be sorely missed and we wish him and his wife Aisling the very best for the future.' The centre's last outing was in Saturday's contentious Unfortunately Rory was the only player across both sides to miss in the shoot-out. But he did show real nerve when stepping up to convert his tougher second kick from the 10 metre line.
Irish Examiner
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
200-cap stalwart Rory Scannell leaves Munster after 12 years
Munster have said goodbye to another 200-cap veteran with the confirmation that Rory Scannell will leave his home province this summer after 12 years as a player. The centre played his 200th game for Munster in last Saturday's URC quarter-final narrow defeat at the Sharks, the 31-year-old coming off the bench and becoming the unfortunate player to miss the shootout kick at goal which decided the contest after 100 minutes of rugby could not separate the sides in a match drawn 24-24. Scannell, who also earned three caps for Ireland, is the 16th player to make 200 appearances for Munster, and he is believed to be joining a new club for next season, though that has yet to be confirmed. His departure follows the retirements of Peter O'Mahony, Dave Kilcoyne and Stephen Archer while Conor Murray is also heading for pastures new to extend his playing career. Having come up through PBC and Dolphin RFC in Cork, Scannell joined the academy in the summer of 2013 having played every game of Ireland's Under-20s Six Nations campaign the previous spring and appeared in the World U20s championship, where he was also an ever-present for Ireland. As an academy third year in 2015-16 he became the first player to win both the academy and young player of the year awards in the same season, having made 26 senior appearances. It was a campaign which saw Anthony Foley's side secure Champions Cup rugby for the following season with victories in the final two games and Scannell scored three tries in those two must-win appearances while his start at the Dragons earlier in the season also saw him play alongside older brother Niall, becoming the first set of brothers to start for Munster in the PRO12. Ireland senior recognition came in 2017 on the summer tour of Japan and the USA when he kicked two conversions against the Americans in New Jersey, a Test which saw the brothers become the first from Munster to represent their country in the professional era. All three of his Ireland caps came on that tour. The youngest player to reach 100 Munster appearances at the age of 25 at the Scarlets in March 2019 clash, Scannell reached 150 caps against Ulster in January 2022 and was a regular in the 2023 URC title run with 16 appearances that season. 'It's been a huge honour to play for my home club 200 times, particularly alongside my brother,' Rory Scannell said. "It's been a rollercoaster of ups and downs over the last 12 years, but I have made so many great memories that will live with me forever. I've met some great people here and made friends for life. "The squad is in a great place and I just want to wish the club very best of luck going forward and I will be supporting them wherever I am.' Head of rugby operations and interim head coach Ian Costello paid tribute to Scannell, adding: 'Everyone in the province couldn't speak highly enough of Rory as a player and a person. 'Very few players have contributed as much as he has to Munster Rugby over the past 12 years both on and off the field. 'He is the youngest ever player to reach 100 caps for Munster and was a key member of our leadership group. 'He is the ultimate team player and an excellent team-mate, always putting the club before himself. 'An extremely popular member of the squad, he will be sorely missed and we wish him and his wife Aisling the very best for the future.' Read More Unlucky trio to miss out on selection for Ireland
BreakingNews.ie
31-05-2025
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Munster crash out of URC after semi-final shootout defeat to Sharks
Sharks booked their spot in the United Rugby Championship semi-finals after a dramatic shootout decider saw them edge past Munster in Durban. After drawing 24-24 in regulation time, neither side could find a winning score in extra time as the game boiled down to kicks from the 15 and then 10-metre line, where Rory Scannell missed his effort for Munster and the Sharks went on to kick all six of their attempts to reach the final four. Advertisement The visitors had taken the lead nine minutes into the first half when Jack Crowley's cross-field kick bounced up for Calvin Nash to grasp and dive over the line before Crowley added the extras, but the match evolved into a scrappy encounter as both Crowley and Jaden Hendrikse sent penalties wide. The game burst into life after the break and the Sharks capitalised on their bright start when Ethan Hooker cut in from the right wing, weaving around the Munster defence to score, with Hendrikse converting before sending his side ahead with a penalty. Fineen Wycherley then squeezed through a gap to cross following a quick Munster break, with Crowley's kick successful and they extended their advantage when the hosts were unable to defend Mike Haley's kick, allowing Diarmuid Kilgallen to pounce on the loose ball and ground before Crowley converted. The Sharks staged an impressive comeback with two tries in the final 15 minutes, pulling one back when Aphelele Fassi crossed, with Hendrikse converting and Fez Mbatha struck after breaking through the visiting defence on the tryline to ground before Hendrikse added the extras. Advertisement Conor Murray's successful penalty from just inside his own half levelled the score at 24-24 to send the game to extra time and Hendrikse had a drop goal attempt brilliantly blocked by Thomas Ahern before the contest reached its climax with a shootout, where the Sharks claimed victory.
The 42
31-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Munster crash out of URC after penalty shootout loss to Sharks
Sharks 24 Munster 24 Sharks win 6-4 on penalties THERE WERE scenes of mad celebrations at Kings Park on Saturday night when the Sharks prevailed over Munster in a United Rugby Championship quarter-final thanks to a successful penalty shoot-out following 20 minutes of extra time. It was heartbreak for a Munster side that once more showed the character that is the hallmark of one of Europe's great teams. Rugby is not accustomed to soccer-style shootouts and there was an unlikely hero for the Sharks in a fairly unknown replacement scrumhalf, Bradley Davids, who held his nerve after the Munster kicker, Rory Scannell, had earlier missed a kick. The Sharks are through to a semi-final against the Bulls, and they are there by the skin of their teeth after the match finished at 24-24, and the extra time of 20 minutes produced no score. Munster were returning to a ground where seven months ago, they got a 41-24 mauling, a result that cost coach Graham Rowntree his job. The Shark Tank is the one South African venue where Munster have never won a match, although they came close two years ago when they drew 22-22 en route to eventually winning the title in Cape Town. Munster are at their most unpredictable when they are pinning their colours to a mast. This was the case with a collective of more than 600 caps about to retire in the form of warriors Peter O'Mahony, Conor Murray and Stephen Archer. Munster have proved they are a team never afraid of delivering on foreign soil — they won a succession of away playoffs to win the title in Cape Town, against the Stormers. On paper, the Sharks were favourites. They boasted eight double World Cup-winning Springboks, mostly in a pack containing Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche and Vincent Koch. They also had a former Munster lock in Jason Jenkins, plus fellow Springboks in Jaden and Jordan Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi, Andre Esterhuizen and Aphelele Fassi in the backline. By the same token, Munster coach Ian Costello had picked the same starting team for three games in a row. The last time Munster had managed that feat was in 2018. Advertisement The visitors scored the first points of the game when the Sharks kicked badly into the space and the counter-attacking Irishmen swept upfield. Jack Crowley kicked astutely to the corner for winger Calvin Nash to scorch into the corner and superbly ground the ball in the ninth minute. Crowley missed a sitter of a penalty shortly after in an opening quarter that was all Munster red and very little black of the home side. The best attacking moment the Sharks could muster in the first half was a hopeful and unsuccessful long-range penalty effort by Jaden Hendrikse. The 28,000 Kings Park crowd was on the point of despair but five minutes into the second half right wing Ethan Hooker stepped several opponents to score. Hendrikse's conversion levelled the scores at 7-7. Munster fought straight back and replacement prop Josh Wycherley charged over. The conversion by Crowley made it 14-10 with just over a quarter of the match to play. The Munster men accelerated into a 21-10 lead when left wing Diarmuid Kilgallen raced up on a speculative kick that had Sharks fullback Aphelele Fassi slip on his backside in the heavy dew, and Kilgallen capitalised in gathering and scoring. A prolonged period of set scum pressure from the Sharks in the Munster 22 paid dividends when a ball worked quickly out wide from an advancing scrum saw fullback Aphelele Fassi saunter over. The score was 21-17 with just over 10 minutes to go. The Sharks took the lead for the first time with six minutes remaining when a penalty kicked to the corner saw replacement hooker Fez Mbatha smash over. The Kings Park crowd raised the rafters, but they were rendered silent when Conor Murray — that wonderful warrior for Munster and Ireland — came off the bench and landed a cool penalty to level the score at 24-24 and take the game into extra time. Neither side could score in the first 10 minutes, although the Sharks applied most of the pressure. The arm wrestle continued in the second half to send the game to a penalty shoot-out. The Sharks' kickers kept their nerve, and it was the unfortunate Rory Scannell who missed first. Sharks scorers: Tries: Tries: Ethan Hooker, Aphelele Fassi, Fez Mbatha Conversions :Jaden Hendrikse [3] Penalty: Jaden Hendrikse Munster scorers: Tries: Calvin Nash, Josh Wycherley, Diarmuid Kilgallen Conversions :Jack Crowley [3] Penalty: Conor Murray. Munster: Thaakir Abrahams [Mike Haley, '65], Calvin Nash, Tom Farrell [Rory Scannbell, '65], Alex Nankivell , Duirmuid Kilgallen; Jack Crowley, Craig Casey [Conor Murray, '65]; Michael Milne, Niall Scannell [Diarmuid Barron, '50] , Stephen Archer [Josh Wycherley, '48], Jean Kleyn, Tadheg Beirne (captain), Peter O'Mahony, John Hodnett [Alex Kendellen, '65], Gavin Coombes. Sharks: Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Lukhanyo Am [Francois Venter, '75], Andre Esterhuizen, Makazole Mapimpi; Jordan Hendrikse, Jaden Hendrikse; Ox Nche [Ntuthuko Mchunu, '68], Bongi Mbonambi [Fez Mbatha, '62], Vincent Koch, Jason Jenkins [Emile van Heerden, '13], Eben Etzebeth, James Venter, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Kolisi [Phepsi Buthelezi, '55]. Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
