MUNSTER RUGBY ARE keeping the Springboks updated on the fitness of RG Snyman ahead of the Lions tour of his native South Africa.

Twenty-three-times capped Snyman sustained a fresh knee injury in training this week and will have a ‘minor’ surgery on the injury in the coming days.

While Munster were unable to put an exact time scale on his return other than ‘a number of weeks’, defence coach JP Ferreira remains hopeful that the powerful lock will be able to play some rugby before the end of the season – be it in the red of Munster or the Springbok green.

“He was close, no denying that. He was really close. He was so close that he was doing defensive hits with me and he was coming off it really looking good,” said Ferreira.

“They [South Africa] have (made contact) and we’ve got an open relationship with them and we’re keeping them in the loop, so if he has to make his return in a Springbok jumper then so be it. If he has to make his return in a Munster jumper, so be it.

It’s just getting him ready and fit and when he’s ready to go that he knows he can go 110% and not worry about that leg of his.”

After his high profile switch to Munster on the back of a victorious World Cup campaign, much was expected of 26-year-old second row Synman, but he sustained his original knee injury just eight minutes into his Munster debut in their August clash with Leinster.

After spending nine months recuperating and rehabbing his injury, Snyman has had to press pause on his comeback, which Ferreira sympathises with.

“I wouldn’t say it throws a spanner in the works, we’ve been without him for nine months but regarding that feeling of getting him back and the excitement around that, obviously yes. He’s ready to go and he wants to get on the pitch but look, these things happen.

“It’s not just because what happened to his knee, sometimes you get niggles off the operation, things like that so it’s a waiting game. You don’t want to get on the pitch and 20 minutes later get off the pitch with another injury so we’re going with full precaution to get him right and hopefully we can see him at the end of the season.

“But it’s not just that, it’s not just getting him ready for the end of the season. I know there’s the British & Irish Lions tour that’s coming up and then getting him ready for next season, really.

“So if he’s here before the end of the season, awesome. If he’s not, well we’re going to do everything in our ability to get him ready for whatever’s next on his list.”

Following their convincing 27-3 win over Leinster at the RDS two weekends ago, Munster host Ulster on Friday at Thomond Park, where they will seek to maintain their perfect start to the Rainbow Cup.

After defeat to Leinster in the Pro14 final and a further loss to Toulouse in the Champions Cup quarter finals, Munster coach Johann van Graan is targeting a strong end of season with victory in the Rainbow Cup.

Ulster enter the game on the back of consecutive defeats, at home to Connacht in the Rainbow Cup and away to Leicester Tigers in the Challenge Cup semi-final last weekend. Ferreira expects a strong squad to travel from Belfast.

“Well we can only prep for their strongest side. They are there where we were after we got knocked out in the round of 16, so they’re there mentally.

“It’s just what their coaches are thinking, what Dan McFarland’s thinking on his selection but we’re prepping for their best side available to play us on the weekend.”

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