Overview
- Munster confirmed on Thursday that former England tighthead Kieran Brookes has signed a two-year contract and that Michael Ala'alatoa has agreed a one-year extension.
- Brookes is 35, has 16 England caps and five seasons of Top 14 experience including a start in Perpignan's match that secured their top-flight status.
- Ala'alatoa is a 34-year-old, 24-cap Samoa international who joined Munster in December and played every game after his arrival, logging close to 1,000 minutes.
- Head coach Clayton McMillan and general manager Ian Costello said both players were recruited for set-piece stability and to mentor the province's younger front-row prospects.
- Reports note Brookes has not played Test rugby for a decade and therefore has been described as technically eligible for Ireland, a point that remains a reported claim rather than a confirmed change to his international status.