Munster assistant Mike Prendergast has dismissed speculation that Antoine Frisch will be leaving the province this summer.
The centre recently expressed his intention to play Test rugby for his native France and is expected to be included in their squad for the summer Test series in Argentina, with head coach Fabien Galthie likely to rest some of his frontline squad members this July.
Should that happen, Frisch would lose his status as an Irish-qualified player, and with another NIQ centre already on Munster's books in Alex Nankivell, it seems unlikely the province would be allowed keep two non-Irish qualified midfielders.
The 27-year-old still has a year remaining on his current deal with Munster, having signed a three-year deal when he joined from Bristol Bears in 2022, but has been linked with an early exit from his contract this summer, with Toulon and La Rochelle named as potential suitors.
However, attack coach Prendergast says he expects Frisch to be part of the Munster squad next season.
"Being perfectly honest, I still read a bit of the French media myself, I coached over there for so long," Prendergast said.
"I've seen it [the speculation] in the media over there, but from our perspective, as far as we know, Antoine will be here next year as well.
"The pro he is, he's managed to put all that stuff aside, and I'm sure he's hearing and seeing whatever, but he's here and he's fully on board with us at the moment."
Prendergast (below) also expressed his delight that Peter O'Mahony had agreed a contract extension to remain at the province.
The Ireland captain signed a 12-month deal with Munster last week, having delayed his retirement by at least one more year.
"It's great, great for everyone involved with Irish and Munster rugby. Great for Pete, he's such an important person in Irish rugby, such an important person in Munster rugby and for him to have that done now, he can - not that he never would - get on with his job, he always does.
"To have him around for at least another season for us, just talking from a Munster perspective as a coach, to have a guy like him with his leadership [is great].
"The one thing that stands out for me with Pete is that when we're winning he never gets too high, when we lose he never gets too low, he's just got a very, very good balance in how he approaches things. It's a real sign of a good leader.
"I'm delighted he's here for the foreseeable future," he added.
The province look set to welcome back a number of key players either this week or next week when they travel to Johannesburg to face the Bulls.
Oli Jager and Fineen Wycherley are both part of the touring squad, having undergone minor knee operations last month, while Calvin Nash, Shane Daly and RG Snyman are likely to be involved over this two-game block.
Saturday's opponents Bulls are third in the BKT United Rugby Championship table, just two points ahead of Munster, while Jake White's side will be well-rested, having left the majority of their starting team back in South Africa for their Champions Cup quarter-final defeat against Northampton on Saturday.
Conditions will be challenging on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld, with temperatures expected to hit 28C shortly before kick-off, in addition to the altitude of Pretoria.
And Prendergast says Munster will need to box clever, and possibly rein in their usual attacking gameplan.
"It is challenging, so we spoke about it as a staff and with the players, in terms of having a plan.
"We have to be clever in how we play, in terms of both halves, just knowing the Bulls and having a bit of information around them, they go into games with certain plans and we have to look at our own game but also not play into their hands in how we play and approach this.
"There will probably be a small bit of a different approach, which is good, it's exciting, it's something small bit different for us.
"They [Bulls] have the ability to just turn it on when anything becomes loose.
"I just think we have to be smart in how we play, not to overplay also. I've no doubt they'll come out of the sheds full of physicality, full of ambition when that ball, or if that ball is turned over.
"We need to be smart when we have it, how we plan, but also protect the ball, Your breakdown is going to be huge, they have plenty of poach threats around the place.
"We need to be really on it, on our game this weekend, to be right in there. With the conditions, it's going to be the 23 men that are going to be hugely important for this challenge," he added.
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