MUNSTER HAVE NOMINATED an additional 22 players to be registered for their Champions Cup squad, following the disruption caused by the province’s recent trip to South Africa.

Munster ended up stuck in the country when their scheduled United Rugby Championship fixtures were cancelled following the emergence of the new omicron variant, with a number of the touring party then testing positive for Covid.

An initial group of 34 players and staff travelled back to Ireland last week, while 14 members of the touring party remain in isolation in Cape Town.

The disruption put the province’s Champions Cup opener in doubt, but they since confirmed their intention to fulfil the round one fixture away to Wasps this Sunday.

Scarlets, Cardiff and Zebre were also caught up in the Covid disruption in South Africa. Earlier today, Scarlets forfeited their opening Champions Cup fixture against Bristol Bears, with the Welsh side outlining they feel unable to safely field a match day squad for the game.

EPCR confirmed last week that they would be extending the squad registration window to 8 December, and Munster have now confirmed a list of 22 additional players put forward for registration – all of whom are under 21 years of age – with most of their senior squad still in quarantine.

The list includes Academy players Tony Butler, Patrick Campbell and Edwin Edogbo, who is currently injured.

The remaining 19 players are National Talent Squad or Provincial Talent Squad members.

Most of the players selected have featured for their clubs in the All-Ireland League this season, while 15 featured for a Munster Development XV in games against Ulster and Leinster earlier this season.

Those players include the three Academy players, along with John Forde, Alessandro Heaney, Darragh McSweeney, Dylan Murphy, Fearghail O’Donoghue, Jack O’Sullivan, Kieran Ryan, George Coomber, Alan Flannery, Darragh French, Adam Maher and Jamie Shanahan.