MUNSTER BACK ROW forward John Hodnett is facing eight-to-ten weeks out after undergoing surgery on a finger injury last week, while scrum-half Paddy Patterson is out for the remainder of the season and will go for knee surgery next week.
It has been an attritional season for the province who confirmed that fullback Simon Zebo underwent an MRI on a knee injury last week and will see a specialist next week. He is unavailable this weekend’s game against the Crusaders at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday (5pm).
Mike Haley returns to full training this week after rehabbing from a hip injury. Cian Hurley (ankle/achilles) is increasing his training load and will return “in the coming weeks,” Munster said.
Tom Ahern is following the return to play protocols and his availability “will be determined later in the week.”
Continuing to rehab are: Jack O’Donoghue (knee), Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Diarmuid Barron (foot), Jean Kleyn (eye/knee), Liam Coombes (shoulder), RG Snyman (chest/shoulder), Roman Salanoa (knee).
Meanwhile, scrum-half Neil Cronin has signed a two-month contract extension that will keep him at Munster until the end of March.
The Garryowen man has made 38 Munster appearances to date and signed his first contract with the province in 2018.
Andrew O’Mahony, the 20-year-old UCC scrum-half, has joined Munster on a two-month contract.
A former CBC student and Ireland U20 international, O’Mahony featured for Munster A against the Connacht Eagles at the start of the season.
He has started all 12 games for UCC in Division 1B of the All Ireland League so far this season.
