New Season Beckons

The Munster squad move closer to the opening game of the SEAT Series with Gloucester up first in just over a week on Saturday August 24th at Thomond Park.

The squad assembled at the Mardyke, Cork this morning for a training game with MAR referee Kieran Barry officiating, and team management used the opportunity to identify players for next week’s match-day squad.

Asides from the obvious omissions of returning Lions and Internationals all those that were involved in the Emerging Ireland squad, including Andrew Conway, Dave Foley, Ian Keatley, Ian Nagle and John Ryan, are available for selection.

Paul O’Connell commenced his pre-season training this week and joined Keith Earls and Conor Murray in Thomond Park on Thursday afternoon for the adidas press launch of the new Munster Rugby kit.

Earls who is continuing with his shoulder rehabilitation and taking part in limited training will miss out on the pre-season games and the opening rounds of the RaboDirect PRO12. Commenting on his progress he said “I have about six or seven weeks now under my belt, I’m staying away from contact mainly, easing my way back into it, and have been hitting a few bags now in the last week. I think the left shoulder now is probably stronger than the right, that wasn’t the way for a while.”

“It’s been four months since I played rugby so I’m itching to get out there now.”

The new adidas Munster Rugby range will be available in stores and online on August 23rd.

Tickets for the SEAT Series are now on sale and available from €;12 – buy online here.

Conor Murray, Paul O'Connell and Keith Earls in the adidas Munster alternate kit for season 2013/14