MUNSTER WILL BE without Conor Murray for next Saturday’s URC tie against the Sharks in Durban, but fellow scrum-half Craig Casey is set to return to training this week.

Munster have announced this afternoon that Murray has returned home for family reasons. Casey will make his comeback to training having been unavailable for last Saturday’s 34-19 defeat against the Stormers due to a knock.

Scrum-half Paddy Patterson has joined the squad in South Africa having returned to full training and Academy prop George Hadden will also join the squad this week.

Alex Nankivell was a late withdrawal ahead of last Saturday’s game due to a hip injury and that will be assessed this week by Munster medics.

Diarmuid Barron’s availability will be determined later in the week as he continues the return to play protocols, while Jeremy Loughman (knee) and Shane Daly (leg) will go for scans today after being withdrawn against Stormers.

Back at Munster’s base, Brian Gleeson (shoulder) and Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg) have both been cleared to return to full training.

The list of Munster players continuing their recovery from injury remains extensive:

Josh Wycherley (neck), Mark Donnelly (ankle), Dave Kilcoyne (ankle), Oli Jager (neck), Peter O’Mahony (hamstring), Liam Coombes (leg), Thaakir Abrahams (thigh), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).