Donnacha Ryan Beautifully Sums Up His 13 Years With Munster

A giant among men.

It was officially confirmed today that Donnacha Ryan will leave Munster at the end of the season after 13 years with the province. The towering lock has signed a deal with Racing 92 where he will link up with former teammate Ronan O’Gara.

Ryan’s departure has been know for some time and has been a bitter pill to swallow. Just like Ruan Pienaar at Ulster, the decision wasn’t in the province’s hands. Munster wanted to keep Ryan and offered him a deal, but could not match Racing’s without the IRFU’s help.

Their decision to not offer Ryan a central contract has not gone down well with the Nenagh man arguably playing the best rugby of his career. The fact is though, it’s too late now and Ryan will play his final game at Thomond Park tomorrow evening.

Speaking to MunsterRugby.ie, Ryan has beautifully summed up his 13 years with Munster as he prepares himself to say his goodbyes.

“It has been a massive part of my life…an emotional rollercoaster but the best experience I’ll ever have,”

“You live it every day, from when you wake up in the morning to go to training until you go to bed at night. You walk around town in Tipperary or Limerick or Cork…your family are all part of it, your parents, it’s not just the team on the pitch that are together. It’s players’ parents together up in the stand, they have their own team and they feel every tackle. It’s a massive family and it’s something that I have really enjoyed and I am very grateful to have had the opportunity. I loved every minute of it.”