MUNSTER HAVE BEEN hit by several big blows ahead of this weekend’s URC semi-final against Leinster in Dublin, with scrum-half Conor Murray, second row RG Snyman, wing Calvin Nash, and centre Malakai Fekitoa all ruled out with head injuries.

Captain Peter O’Mahony remains a major doubt too, with the Ireland international due to have a scan on his elbow injury today. His availability will be determined later this week, according to Munster.

And hooker Diarmuid Barron is also a doubt due to a shoulder issue, with his progress to be monitored over the course of the coming days.

All six players were injured in last weekend’s bruising quarter-final win away to Glasgow at Scotstoun Stadium.

Murray, Snyman, Nash, and Fekitoa were forced off for Head Injury Assessments [HIAs] during the game and are now going through the return-to-play protocols, but will definitely miss Saturday’s meeting with Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.

O’Mahony was forced off injured just minutes into the Glasgow match, while Barron was replaced early in the second half.

These new injuries add to a list that already included the likes of wing pair Keith Earls and Andrew Conway, as well as scrum-half Paddy Patterson.

There was one positive on the injury front during the Glasgow win, as Tadhg Beirne got through the full 80 minutes on his return from an ankle problem. Beirne took over the captaincy when O’Mahony was forced off.

Leinster are set to be without many of their frontliners this weekend as head coach Leo Cullen uses his wider squad a week before the Champions Cup final against La Rochelle.