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O’mahony says the signing of South Africa stars is a big statement of intent for Reds

PETER O’MAHONY believes Munster’s World Cup winning recruits can get them over the line for major silverware.

The Reds skipper has hailed the arrival of South African pair Damian de Allende (top right) and RG Snyman (top left) as a gamechanger, along with the signings of Matt Gallagher from Saracens and Roman Salanoa from Leinster.

O’mahony mentions the Springboks duo as potentially having the same influence as previous top foreign recruits to the provinces – including Doug Howlett and Isa Nacewa who were so important to Munster and Leinster respectively.

“You think of guys like Dougie and Rua Tipoki, guys like Trevor Halstead, Rocky Elsom, these guys were instrumental in Leinster and Munster’s Heineken Cup wins over the last 10, 12 years,” said O’mahony, whose only success with the province was the 2010-11 PRO14 title.

“Guys like Isa, him and Dougie became backbones of the provincial teams and just were incredible for long, long periods of time for their clubs.

“They’re the kind of signings, obviously they’re well paid but they’re worth every cent and they make a big difference through their playing, their commitment to the club, their accessibility.

“They’re very important to us, whatever way you look at it.

“And you’d hope and you’d like to think that the guys we’ve signed this summer will be with us for a long time and will add a huge amount to us.”

The Munster players have been separated into different groups according to social distancing rules, and so far

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O’mahony has worked with the giant Snyman and not de Allende.

“RG is in my group,” said O’mahony. “He’s an incredible specimen altogether – I’ve never seen anything like it.

“Very impressive, physical man. He’s 6’10” or 11” or seven foot – whatever he is.

“He looks like he can shift as well, doing speed work. He’s a serious looking athlete.

“It’s great to have signed guys of that calibre. You go through the provinces who have won the European Cup and the PRO14, you look at the teams in those days, and they have had world-class signings in nearly every one of them.

“They are the kind of calibre of player that you sign to win trophies with. It’s very encouraging to be signing players of that calibre.

“We have signed very well. We always depend on our Academy to produce guys

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