Leinster lock Ross Molony poised for Premiership switch – report

Bath won’t be left empty-handed by Leinster’s recent signing of RG Snyman as they are reportedly poised to snap up Ross Molony on a three-year deal from the Irish province next summer.

The Gallagher Premiership club had been tipped to sign Snyman, the Springboks’ double Rugby World Cup winner, after it emerged that his contract at Munster would not be renewed at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Johann van Graan was the coach who brought the 29-year-old to Munster in 2020 and the current Bath boss was said to be in pole position to bring Snyman to The Rec once his injury-hit spell in Ireland came to an end.

Simon Raiwalui on Fiji’s experience at the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Simon Raiwalui on Fiji’s experience at the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Former Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui discusses their journey at the tournament, which ultimately came to an end in the quarter finals.

However, the arrival of Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber at Leinster scuppered that reunification link with van Graan in the Premiership as Snyman was instead soon tied to a one-year deal with Leo Cullen’s side for the 2024/25 season.

That December confirmation, though, has now had consequences at Leinster as this commitment to Snyman, allied to the recent emergence with Ireland of young Joe McCarthy, has convinced the 29-year-old Molony that his future would be best served by joining van Graan’s Bath.

An Irish Times report read: “Ross Molony, the long-serving Leinster lock, is expected to join Bath on a three-year contract at the end of this season.

“The 29-year-old has been a mainstay of the province for the last decade, making 172 appearances, but his minutes have been reduced this season and, with the emergence of Joe McCarthy and the impending arrival of RG Snyman, the offer of a three-year deal is a shrewd piece of business by Johann van Graan’s club.

“A product of St Michael’s and a renowned lineout operator and caller, Molony has regularly played more than 1,000 minutes for Leinster over the last decade since making his debut against Zebre Parma in February 2015.

“Last season he started in 18 of 23 appearances, which amounted to 1,450 minutes. By contrast, this season he has so far been restricted to five starts in his 10 appearances, amounting to 469 minutes.

“Molony has freely admitted to harbouring an intense desire to play for Ireland, and he came very close on occasions.

“But with McCarthy’s emergence also putting him further down the international pecking order, he has had to weigh this up with the security of a three-year deal and the prospect of playing more regularly at Bath.”