Munster are losing another South African to Bath in the summer with flanker Chris Cloete joining the struggling Premiership outfit.
Cloete, 31, will join the Reds' head coach Johann van Graan and defence coach JP Ferreira at the Rec next season.
The news emerged after Damian de Allende's confirmation yesterday that he would not be joining Bath but would be leaving the province for a club outside Europe. A return to Japan is his likeliest destination.
Cloete, a teak-tough flanker, has been with Munster since 2017 and has played 62 times for the Reds, but the swift development of promising homegrown back row players such as Alex Kendellen and John Hodnett saw the former Southern Kings player fighting for less and less opportunities to play.
However despite qualifying for Ireland under residency rules two years ago he has not been selected for Test rugby.
In a statement released by Bath, Cloete said: “To play in the Premiership has always been a clear ambition, and I look forward to making a significant contribution as Bath move towards the top of the league.
"It is a fantastic club with great history, and the supporters deserve nothing less than a winning team."
Bath CEO Tarquin McDonald commented: “Chris will bring a new dimension to an impressive group of back row forwards, as we maintain our primary recruitment focus of adding power to the pack for next season."
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