MUNSTER WILL BE forced to make do without Paul O’Connell at the weekend after the influential second-row failed to return to full fitness ahead of Saturday’s Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final at home to Harlequins.

O’Connell resumed training yesterday afternoon having spent three weeks on the sideline with an ankle injury which he picked up in the province’s Magners League win over Leinster at the start of the month.

Although he took part in the majority of yesterday’s session, the 31-year-old sat out both the lineout and scrum sessions, indicating that he has not fully recovered from the knock yet.

The skipper’s expected absence for Saturday’s European clash was confirmed this afternoon when he was omitted from Tony McGahan’s 27-man squad.

Mick O’Driscoll and Ian Nagle are both obvious candidates to replace O’Connell in the second row while Ronan O’Gara will most likely be handed the captain’s armband once again.

Munster (vs. Harlequins): Johne Murphy, Felix Jones, Denis Hurley, Doug Howlett, Keith Earls, Sam Tuitupou, Lifeimi Mafi, Paul Warwick, Ronan O’Gara, Peter Stringer, Conor Murray, Marcus Horan, Wian du Preez, John Hayes, Tony Buckley, Stephen Archer, Damien Varley, Mike Sherry, Donnncha O’Callaghan, Mick O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, Ian Nagle, Tommy O’Donnell, David Wallace, Niall Ronan, James Coughlan, Denis Leamy.