Every new season brings change, but there have been some significant ins and outs at Munster this summer.
The departures have been more high-profile than the arrivals. Any team that loses players like RG Snyman, Antoine Frisch, Joey Carbery and Simon Zebo have major holes to fill.
Of the major arrivals into Munster this summer, three are already well-known to Irish fans, with Billy Burns coming in from Ulster, and Tom Farrell and Diarmuid Kilgallen making the short trip south from Connacht. All three got their first taste of action last Saturday when the province were beaten 24-21 by Bath in their opening pre-season friendly.
"They've been very good since coming in," assistant coach Mike Prendergast said of the trio.
"Tom Farrell and Diarmuid Kilgallen are after coming in and fitting in seamlessly.
"You look at the Irish teams and I suppose we don't play too dissimilar. Bits and pieces might change, but the framework means their understanding coming down was quite clear and our players who have already been here have been helpful with them integrating on and off the pitch.
"They were very good against Bath, I know it was the first game, but they showed very well."
Acquiring Burns from Ulster was also an important piece of business. With Ben Healy and Carbery both leaving the province in recent seasons, it left Munster light on experience behind first choice Jack Crowley, who is likely to be available less often to the province as he becomes more established in Test rugby.
"Billy is an experienced player, an international. He's been in big games, big moments up in Ulster and for me he has fitted in really well," Prendergast added.
"I really like his skillset, he'll bring a really good attacking, short kicking game which we saw most notably against Leinster last year.
"He has the ability against rush defences, teams that defend high on the edge, he has the ability to pick teams out.
"He has the overall skillset, we could see that against Bath and he's been calm, very helpful around the younger guys and a really good team man."
Their latest signing, Thaakir Abrahams, could see some action in Friday's pre-season friendly with Gloucester in Cork.
The South African wing only arrived in Ireland last week after getting his work visa, and Munster’s attack coach says the early signs are that he could be an exciting addition to their back-three.
"Thaakir came in last week, is in the middle of integrating and learning new calls and it's probably a little bit different for him in terms of systems and that stuff," said Prendergast.
"Even at training we can see, one of the reasons we brought him in is that he's got x-factor, footwork, out and out gas,
"He can play to edges, he'll get touches on the ball and get off his wing.
"It's added [competition]... when you look at the backs at the minute, there's a few more faces, a few more bodies in terms of competition and it's good going forward.
"We've lost a lot of players, but there's a new energy and it looks like there's a good bit of competition which is good."
Abrahams joins Munster from Lyon this summer, after being granted early release just one year into his deal at the French club.
The former Sharks wing scored seven tries but was limited to 13 games in all competitions, in large part due to their need to comply with the Top14’s strict 'JIFF’ rules on homegrown players.
And Prendergast says he expects Abrahams to settle easier in Limerick.
"I know they had a baby recently and I know myself from being over there, especially in your first year or two when you don’t have the language, that it can become challenging," said the former Munster scrum-half.
"As far as I know, having an English-speaking country is probably something that will make it a small bit easier for him. When we made contact with him he showed good intent early doors and as a player I’ve followed him over the last couple of years. I coached a player in Grenoble a few years ago called Gio Aplon and he has a similar enough profile to him.
"I could see what he [Abrahams] does when he gets a bit of space with a team that likes to play to an edge. He’s someone we’re excited about and he’s excited to be here as well."
With the Emerging Ireland tour, and Ireland’s busy Autumn Nations Series schedule set to test the depth of the four provinces in the early stages of the season, Munster have also made a late addition to their squad this summer, offering a short-term deal to centre Bryan Fitzgerald.
The 25-year-old Limerick man linked up with the province on a three-month contract in August, having excelled for Garryowen in the All-Ireland League.
Fitzgerald was the standout player when an AIL Select XV took on Munster ‘A’ in a charity game in May, scoring two tries, and Prendergast (above) says he’s earned his chance to step up to the professional game.
He sad: "He's been consistently good over a number of years in the AIL and I watched him in a development game against Munster in Rosbrien there last year and he caught my eye from an attacking point of view.
"He's there on merit and to me it's a great story. We've seen it a number of times with players like James Coughlan... it doesn't happen too much, but when it does it can be a breath of fresh air.
"He's come in, he's fit, he's got a GAA background. He's on his bike and he goes, he's great."
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