JAMES DOWNEY, the Northampton and Irish A inside centre, is set to return to Irish rugby next season by rejoining Munster, who also have again targeted an overseas centre to give their midfield a sharper cutting edge. Cardiff’s ex-All Blacks outside centre Casey Laulala is understood to be a target, as is the Leinster backrower Rhys Ruddock.

Downey, the hard-carrying, big-tackling 30-year-old one-time Clontarf player has had spells with his native Leinster, Munster and Connacht but his career has really flourished at Northampton where he has played over 130 games in the last five seasons as their go-to midfield target man.

However he has not played so much this season following the arrival of Tim May and is apparently receptive to the move. He would give Munster another dimension to an attacking game that has struggled this season

The 29-year-old Laulala, who won the second of his two caps for the All Blacks against Ireland in 2006, has scored 14 tries in 54 starts over the last two seasons with the Blues and would an altogether different and dynamic running threat at outside centre.

Munster are believed to be in discussions with him but Laulala is considering a number of offers, including from Japan.

Ruddock has also been earmarked by Munster. Although Leinster also want to keep him, the 21-year-old backrower made a statement of intent by only signing a one-year contract with Leinster and, were he not to achieve regular first-team rugby, he could well be receptive toward a move to Munster as a means of furthering his Irish ambitions. He won one cap as a replacement against Australia in the summer of 2010.