Squad Update

Munster make a return to Guinness PRO12 action this Saturday when they travel to Zebre in Round 12 of the competition. Players gathered in their respective training centres in Cork and Limerick today ahead of the first squad session of the week tomorrow.

Apart from the usual bumps and bruises there were no major injury concerns following yesterday’s win over Treviso, while back row Sean Doyle emerged as the only casualty in Munster A’s British & Irish Cup defeat to London Scottish.   Doyle sustained a suspected concussion on 43 minutes and is currently being assessed by Munster medical staff before following return to play protocols.
 
Dave O’Callaghan (adductor) will take part in modified training tomorrow with his progress monitored as the week goes on, while Andrew Conway (hip pointer) will take part in modified training this week.
 
BJ Botha (ACL) and academy out-half Bill Johnston (dislocated shoulder) will undergo their respective surgeries this week.
 
Tyler Bleyendaal (quad), Stephen Archer (neck), Cathal Sheridan (calf), Duncan Casey (pec) and Peter O'Mahony (knee) all continue with their rehab programmes.
 
Seven Munster players today joined up with the Ireland squad at Carton House ahead of the upcoming RBS 6 Nations championship – CJ Stander, James Cronin, Keith Earls, Conor Murray, Tommy O'Donnell, Donnacha Ryan and Simon Zebo.
 
Head Coach Anthony Foley will name his matchday 23 to face Zebre at midday on Friday with the game taking place on Saturday at 2pm (Irish).
 
A total of eight senior and eleven academy players lined out for Munster A in their final outing of this season’s British & Irish Cup.  With Mick O’Driscoll’s men needing at least a win to secure play-off qualification, London Scottish proved too strong in wet and windy conditions at CBC Lansdowne with the visitors winning out 11-21.
 
Munster A’s only try came through Cian Bohane on 71 minutes with Johnny Holland adding two penalties.
 
The game also saw academy wing/full-back Steven McMahon and sub-academy scrum-half John Poland make their first B&I Cup appearances.