MUNSTER AND IRELAND forward Tadhg Beirne may have to delay his return from a broken ankle after picking up what his province today called a ‘low-grade leg injury’.
Beirne suffered a broken ankle late last year, but had been on course to return for Munster’s inter-pro restart match against Leinster on Saturday week.
Prop Roman Salanoa is also set to misss out on facing his former province with an abdominal injury, but there is a wealth of positive news from the Munster medical department as World Cup-winner Damian De Allende heads up a list of men resuming full training after he came through a groin issue.
Dave Kilcoyne (calf), Jean Kleyn, Fineen Wycherley, Jeremy Loughman (all thigh), Calvin Nash (wrist) and Gavin Coombes (illness) are also fit to join the wider squad as they ramp up preparations for the restart in just 12 days’ time.
Joey Carbery’s return date remains likely to be in September, Mike Haley and Dan Goggin are also listed as ‘continuing to rehab’ by the province.
Mostly good news all round. There’ll always be a few niggles so it’ll be great to have more or less a full strength team to pick from come next weekend providing andy farrell lets the teams pick who they want.
Fancy a 23 to look something like
Killer
Scannell
Ryan
Snyman
Kleyn
O mahony
O donoghue
Stander
Murray
Hanrahan
Earls
De Allende
Farrell
Conway
Gallagher
Loughman
Marshall
Knox
Wycherley
O donnell
Casey
Scannell
Daly
@Jim Demps: Would prefer to see Knox in ahead of Ryan from the get go. Beirne and carbery then to come in for kleyn and hanrahan when they are fit.
Hopefully gallagher is the man to add a bit of spark to the fullback position.
@Jim Demps: that’s a strong team. I think the 2 centers are going to rip it up this season.
@Gareth Ward: both you and Jim’s sides are missing an openside. Cj has a very high tackle count as does JOD but both tackle close to the ruck. Neither really help the backline defence out wide.
Another problem without joey is a lack of creativity so smash it up the middle and boxkick will be game plan.
@Chris Mc: Im sure jod can move a few steps to the side. Plenty of turnover treat anyway if o’mahony, stander and beirne are all in the team
@Gareth Ward: turnovers has never been Munsters problem. I’m talking about helping the outside backs defend.
@Chris Mc: it’s grand, we’ll pick up whichever one of the Leinster 7s doesn’t make the big game squads at the end of the season.
For what it’s worth if Tommy can stay fit he’s as good as any of them. If though.
@Jim Demps: when fit Tommy is could but his ceiling is nowhere near Leavy’s
@Jim Demps: I was a big fan of TOD but he’s not really at the highest levels for a while. Hopefully the break will have done him good, recharge the batteries so to speak. Still I don’t think your getting any of leinsters backrows any time soon.
That’s a pity for Beirne but hopefully he’ll still be fit to feature before the end of the club season and for Ireland. He’d potentially be a big loss for Ireland with Ryan injured and would have been expected to see some decent gametime.
There’s a lot of guys on the Munster injury list which is odd considering there has been limited contact training.