Squad Update

The latest squad news as preparations commence for Stade Francais in Saturday’s rescheduled Champions Cup encounter in Paris – KO 4:45pm (Irish time).

It has been confirmed that academy player Rory Scannell sustained a dead leg in Saturday’s encounter with Ulster however the young centre is expected to return to training later this week.
 
Meanwhile Andrew Conway (bruised hip), Keith Earls (neck), Dave Foley (dead leg), Conor Murray (hip) and Donnacha Ryan (knee) are all currently being monitored and their progress will be reviewed as the week continues.
 
On a positive note, Tommy O’Donnell successfully completed 57 minutes of rugby in his first start since returning from injury, while Billy Holland came through his first 80 minutes of PRO12 action following an ankle injury sustained in June.
  
In what was a busy few days for the squad, following a return from Belfast on Saturday, 11 Munster players were selected for an overnight Irish training camp at Carton House on Sunday, including a first call-up to a national training camp for CJ Stander.
  
Those involved will re-join their provincial teammates in Limerick tomorrow for a two-day Munster training session.  
  
Meanwhile, Munster can confirm that Matt D’Arcy has completed his time with the province.  The Clontarf centre joined on a short-term basis at the start of the 2015/16 season and although not making a competitive appearance for the province he featured in all three of Munster’s pre-season games and started for Munster A in the four rounds of this year’s British and Irish Cup campaign, scoring a try against Ospreys Premiership Select.
 
The return of AIL action at the weekend saw a number of senior and academy players line out for their respective clubs. 
  
Cian Bohane and academy prop Brian Scott featured in Dolphin’s narrow 14-13 loss away to Blackrock College while Kevin O’Byrne crossed for UL Bohemian’s only try away to Buccaneers with the hosts running out 18-7 winners.
  
There was better news for Darren Sweetnam and academy representatives Rory Burke, Ned Hodson, Ryan Foley and Tomás Quinlan – who was amongst the try scorers – as Cork Constitution picked up a hard fought 22-32 away win over Terenure at Lakelands Park.
  
The academy’s Gearoid Lyons kicked three penalties as Young Munster suffered their first defeat under Head Coach David Corkery in a game that also featured Dan Goggin and Ben Kilkenny.
 
Academy duo David Johnston and Steven McMahon helped Garryowen get their New Year off to the perfect start with a 10-3 win over Clontarf in Dooradoyle, while Stephen Fitzgerald, Sean McCarthy and Greg O’Shea featured for Shannon as the Limerick side picked up a losing bonus point against Dublin University at Thomond Park.