Munster have signed Springbok hooker Marnus van der Merwe, with the 29-year-old joining on a two-year deal from the Scarlets.
Subject to a valid work permit, he will join for the start of the 2026-27 season.
Capped three times by the back-to-back world champions, Van der Merwe marked his debut with two tries against Georgia last July and also featured in the Rugby Championship wins over New Zealand and Australia.
From the province of Mpumalanga, Van der Merwe played underage rugby with the Pumas before making the move to Cheetahs, where he made his PRO14 debut in 2018.
He has made 38 appearances for the Scarlets since his debut in September 2024.
Outlining his excitement at joining Munster Rugby in the summer, van der Merwe said:
"I’m excited and honoured to be joining such a prestigious club, with such a proud rugby history. I want to finish the season strong with the Scarlets, before tackling this new challenge with Munster."
Munster general manager Ian Costello was delighted to bolster Munster's front row options.
"He has been one of the best hookers in the URC over the past two years resulting in a call up to the Springboks squad.
"He is a physical, abrasive hooker, very strong in the setpiece, excellent over the ball, and now has demonstrated his ability to perform at international level.
"Marnus is passionate, and extremely ambitious and has the qualities that will make him a really good fit to our playing group. We look forward to welcoming him to Munster this summer."
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