Saints back Hanrahan to rejoin Munster at end of season

Hanrahan moved to Franklin’s Gardens from Thomond Park in the summer of 2015, but the utility back will now return home to the club at which he started his professional career.

The 24-year-old has so far made 30 appearances for Saints, scoring 64 points in the process.

He impressed in the defeat at Montpellier last Friday, but is understood to have suffered a hand injury that looks likely to need surgery.

Saints will be keen to get him back to fitness as soon as possible to provide options at fly-half and centre, which is where Hanrahan has mostly been playing in recent weeks, though he was at 10 in France last week.

He had initially set his sights on the fly-half role at Saints, but has been unable to displace Stephen Myler.

And Hanrahan has now decided that the time is right to return to Ireland and the club at which he won the Pro 12 golden boot award during the 2013/14 season.