Ireland joined the Pirates in December 2007 from London Welsh

Cornish Pirates have announced that hooker Rudi Brits, lock Shaun Pammenter and centre Mark Ireland will leave the side at the end of the current season.

Brits, 29, is set to join Championship rivals Bristol, while 27-year-old Ireland has decided to move on after two years with the Pirates.

South African lock Pammenter, 30, is leaving rugby altogether, to return to sailing and the America's Cup.

Pammenter previously spent three years competing for South Africa in the Cup.

With most of the Pirates' squad already having committed their futures to the club next season, forwards coach Ian Davies said they are expecting some more arrivals over the coming weeks.

Davies told BBC Radio Cornwall: "We've got two guys in the pipeline to hopefully come on board.

"They're still in negotiations with us at the moment but we've been pleased to retain the majority of the squad for next year."

Although they have finished their league campaign this season, the Pirates face Munster in the final of the British & Irish Cup on Sunday, 16 May.

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