Munster head coach Graham Rowntree says the decision of South African World Cup winner RG Snyman to join Irish rivals Leinster was “a huge surprise”.
With places for non-Irish players limited, Snyman, 28, was not offered a new contract with Munster after an injury-hit three years in Limerick.
Leinster announced on Tuesday the capture of the Springbok second row from next season.
“I’m not going to lie, [it was] a huge surprise,” Rowntree said.
“Obviously I wasn’t fully aware of where he was going. I knew there was chat of him going to Bath to see my old mate and his former coach Johann [Van Graan].
“There was chat of him going back to South Africa, but I was surprised [he went to Leinster], yeah.”
Heading to Munster in 2020, a year after winning his first World Cup, Snyman sustained an ACL injury on his debut for the province.
Another lengthy ACL injury followed and he was limited to six appearances last season, however he returned to help Munster win the United Rugby Championship title in May.
After winning his second World Cup in France in October, Snyman is now facing another spell on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.
Munster faced a dilemma between Snyman and fellow second row Jean Kleyn, whose switch from Ireland to South African made him ineligible as an Irish-qualified player.
The province could not retain two NIQ [non-Irish qualified] players in the same position and Munster elected to keep Kleyn, who came off the bench alongside Snyman for South Africa against New Zealand in the World Cup final.
After being announced by Leinster, Snyman said his desire to stay in Ireland had been a major factor in his decision.
“It’s a business, this, isn’t it? I sat down with him in the first week of November, and said there wasn’t a contract for him, unfortunately,” Rowntree added.
“Within a couple of weeks this news is upon us that he’s gone to Leinster. There we go, we deal with it, we row on.
“I have no doubt in his commitment to us to the end of the season. I’ve already seen that in the last couple of days in particular, I’ve no doubt about that commitment. It is what it is.
“I’m not frustrated, no. We can’t determine where he goes. I’m the bloke sitting in front of him saying there wasn’t anything for him.
“It’s not like we’ve been out-bid by Leinster. We had nothing for him. That’s business. I’m quite able to move on, I have more things consuming my mind at the moment than this.”
