Peter O’Mahony and Cian Healy will both retire from rugby at the end of the season while Conor Murray heads abroad
In big news this morning, Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray, and Cian Healy announced their decision to retire from the international game after this year’s Six Nations.
Munster duo O’Mahony and Murray will also leave the club at the end of the season. O’Mahony is set to retire, while Murray will continue his rugby career abroad.
All three players had legendary careers in green, reaching the landmark of 100 Test caps for Ireland, winning five Guinness Men’s Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams, and will hope to win one more at the end of the 2025 Championship.
O’Mahony won 112 caps since making his Test debut against Italy in 2012, last year captaining Ireland to Six Nations glory. The back-rower has been ever-present in green over the last 15 years, featuring at three consecutive Rugby World Cups in 2015, 2019 and 2023.
A key leader on and off the pitch, O’Mahony, who captained the British and Irish Lions in the first Test of their 2017 Tour to New Zealand, has made 193 appearances for Munster having made his debut against Ulster in January 2010 and won two Celtic League/URC titles.
Limerick man Murray will also call time on his Ireland career at the end of the Six Nations. A Munster Schools Senior Cup winner with St. Munchin’s in 2006, the Munster scrum-half has won 123 caps since making his Test debut against France in 2011, sitting joint fourth in Ireland’s most-capped list alongside Rory Best and only behind Healy, Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara.
Murray has been part of five Six Nations-winning teams and also featured for the British and Irish Lions on three Tours in 2013, 2017 and 2021. He has made 199 appearances to date for Munster, winning two Celtic League/URC titles.
Leinster stalwart Healy, meanwhile, will hang up his boots as Ireland’s current most capped player having surpassed Brian O’Driscoll when coming off the bench during the 150th Anniversary Test against Australia at Aviva Stadium last November.
Commenting on today’s announcement, IRFU Performance Director, David Humphreys, said: “It is always a sad time when a player decides to move on, but I would like to pay tribute to all three players and thank them for their outstanding contribution to Irish Rugby over many years. It goes without saying that Peter, Cian and Conor are legends of not just Irish Rugby, but Irish sport, and have each made a significant contribution to the success of Irish Rugby for more than 15 years.