It looks like the ‘Tommy Bowe to Munster’ rumours were wide of the mark

Tommy Bowe is almost certain to return to Ireland at the end of the season – but reports this morning suggest it will be to his home province of Ulster, not Munster.

Bowe has spent the past four years in Wales with Ospreys, having previously made his name during four seasons with Ulster.

His contract at Ospreys does not expire until the end of the 2012/13 season but he is regarded as almost certain to move on this summer, and the Irish Times reports today that a return to his native province is the most likely scenario.

Rumours linking the 27-year-old Monaghan man with a move to Munster surfaced last month, while Bowe has also caught the attention of clubs in France.

And interestingly, the Times report claims that Bowe will have to take a substantial cut on his €422,000 per annum salary in order to return to Ireland.

There's plenty of water to flow under the bridge before we see Tommy playing his club rugby back in this part of the world, though: he will hope to help Ireland's flailing Six Nations title hopes when Declan Kidney's side take on France in Paris this weekend, while with Ospreys out of contention, Bowe will undoubtedly be an interested observer when Ulster meet Munster in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup in April.