Conor Murray returns to Ireland, Craig Casey is passed fit for training
Squad Haag A To ©inpho/steve Casey Has Returned Update: Knock Training picture: Craig Sports Following
Munster will be without Conor Murray as they attempt to get their South African tour back on track against the Sharks in Durban this Saturday but fellow Ireland scrum-half Craig Casey has passed fit to return to training.
Murray, who started the 34-19 URC defeat at the Stormers in Cape Town last Saturday as Casey missed out due to what Munster described as “a knock”, has returned to Ireland for family reasons.
A fit-again Paddy Patterson has in the meantime joined the squad in South Africa following a long-term injury and has linked up with the remaining number nines in the travelling party, Casey and Ethan Coughlan, who was a replacement last weekend as Munster slumped to their third defeat in five rounds of the new URC campaign.
Head coach Graham Rowntree had been forced to withdraw centre Alex Nankivell from the starting line-up against the Stormers, delaying his return from a hip injury sustained in the opening game of the season and the New Zealander is being assessed by the medical team in Cape Town before a decision is made on his availability for the trip to Durban.
Munster have also called Emerging Ireland and academy prop George Hadden into their squad with senior loosehead Jeremy Loughman (knee) and utility back Shane Daly (leg) awaiting scans on problems picked up in that Stormers game.
A decision is also pending on hooker Diarmuid Barron’s return to play following a head knock sustained against Leinster in round four which forced him out of last weekend’s game.
In more positive news for the injury-hit province, back-rower Brian Gleeson (shoulder) and summer back-three signing Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg) have both been cleared for a return to full training by the medical department back at Munster’s HPC in Limerick, with returns expected for the province’s next home game, against an All Blacks XV at Thomond Park on Saturday, November 3.
Munster remain without Peter O’Mahony, Edwin Edogbo, Oli Jager, Dave Kilcoyne, Roman Salanoa, Cian Hurley, Mark Donnelly and Josh Wycherley, as well as backs Patrick Campbell and Liam Coombes, all of whom are continuing to rehab on home soil.
Rowntree is scheduled to announce his team to face the Sharks this Friday at noon.