Squad Update
21st August 2017 By The Editor
Conor Oliver will meet with a specialist again for his shoulder this week. ©INPHO/James Crombie
In what is the final week of preseason – Week 9 – the squad travel to face Worcester Warriors at Sixways Stadium this Thursday ahead of their return to competitive action in Cork next week.
Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus will name his squad to travel to Worcester on Wednesday with the game taking place at 7.30pm on Thursday – live updates on Twitter by following @munsterrugby.
The fixtures comes on the back of Friday’s scenario-based training game against Connacht at The Sportsground. An extended squad of 28 made the journey to Galway and saw new recruits Chris Farrell, Gerbrandt Grobler and James Hart play their first action for the province.
As with preseason to date, a number of club players were also involved with Max McFarland (Clontarf), Tom Ryan (Dublin University), James Rochford (Dolphin) and sub-academy player Ronan Coffey (Shannon) all included.
In what will be a busy week for both players and management, Erasmus and the returning CJ Stander will attend the Guinness PRO14 launch in Dublin on Wednesday.
Following the return of squad captain Peter O’Mahony last week, Munster’s remaining Lions contingent, Stander and Conor Murray, will commence their preseason programmes this week.
In contract news, the province can today confirm that former England U20 prop Ciaran Parker will join the 
province on a one-year development contract. The 21-year-old makes the move from Sale Sharks and lined out for the Premiership outfit in their Champions Cup loss to Munster at Thomond Park in January 2015.
On the injury front, Sam Arnold (calf), Duncan Casey and Kevin O’Byrne (both groin) are being managed for respective injuries picked up in preseason.
Meanwhile, Conor Oliver (shoulder) will meet with a specialist again this week.
Robin Copeland and JJ Hanrahan (both shoulder) continue to take part in modified training with Ronan O’Mahony (fibula), Dave O’Callaghan (knee) and Darren O’Shea (shoulder) following their longer term programmes.
Guinness PRO14 tickets
Tickets are now on sale for Munster’s opening games of the season.
In Round 1, Rassie Erasmus’ men face Treviso under Friday Night Lights at Irish Independent on September 1st, while the following Saturday at Thomond Park, Munster host South African opposition, The Cheetahs, for the first time in the newly expanded Guinness PRO14.
