Munster close to signing South African flyer Thaakir Abrahams from Lyon

The province are understood to have received a six-figure sum from Toulon for the agreeing to release Antoine Frisch from his contract and they are set to invest that cash in the exciting back three talent.

“We are looking for a back three player, unfortunately at the moment nothing can be confirmed but hopefully that news will happen soon,” assistant coach Mike Prendergast said today.

Abrahams (24) will add another dimension to the province’s back three.

A former South Africa U-20s international, he’s considered a potential option for the Springboks having impressed for the Sharks in the URC last season.

His form earned him a move to Lyon in the Top 14, but he’s found game-time hard to come by in France.

Even still, he managed five tries in four Champions Cup games. According to French publication Le Progres, Lyon will release him from their squad a year early to allow them sign a French qualified player.

Although they’ll gain a tricky, pacey full-back who can take over from Simon Zebo and challenge Mike Haley, Munster are losing a hig-quality centre in Frisch.

The French-born, Irish qualified centre has opted to move to Toulon to pursue his international ambitions – having previously indicated his ambition to play for Ireland.

“Unfortunately, these things happen in sport,” Prendergast said. “You don’t want them to happen but they do at times.

“I suppose, next year we’ll move on and Antoine will move on and you’ve Tom Farrell coming in for example.

“I love the story of Antoine as well, having heard about him when I was in France, the journey he came on and what he’s left here as well… he’s a rugby player that, in terms of a profile and skillset, they’re not easy to come by.

“We came in as a staff and the way we play, he was someone that really suited us. A brilliant guy, with a brilliant story… look, cliché stuff, but until the end of the season, he’s a hungry, driven guy and he wants to leave this jersey in the best place he can and hopefully we can give him another few weeks to do that.”

Munster face Ulster on Saturday and a win in the final interprovincial game of the season would earn them a home run through the URC knockouts.

They could welcome Peter O’Mahony, John Hodnett and Joey Carbery back, while Haley is progressing through the concussion protocols and is set to be available.

Frisch injured his leg against Edinburgh and Munster are awaiting scans before they’ll know if he can play, while his first-choice centre partner Alex Nankivell is among the long-term injured players.

After going on the road to win the URC last year, there’s a huge incentive to play all their remaining games this season in Limerick by topping the URC.

“It is, there’s no point in shying away from it,” Prendergast said.

“I know it’s a cliché, but you’ve got to set that up by winning on Saturday.

“As a coaching staff, the players – I know they’ll think it in the backs of their minds, it’ll be out there in the media, people will read about it, but you don’t want to leave what we’ve done quite well in the last few weeks slip.

“It’s the next game, but if you do get there you can reset next Monday and talk about it.”