ALTHOUGH he travelled with the 32-man squad to South Africa, Diarmuid Barron has been ruled-out of Saturday’s URC tie with Stormers in Cape Town, kick-off 5pm.
In an update, the club confirmed Barron failed a HIA following the weekend loss to Leinster and “is unavailable” for Saturday. However, it’s expected he will be okay to feature against Sharks the following weekend.
Alex Nankivell (shoulder), Tom Ahern (ankle) and Ruadhán Quinn (head) all returned to action on Saturday and came through the game with no issues.
Billy Burns (shoulder), Shane Daly (elbow) and Rory Scannell (ankle) have all returned to full training and are in SA.
Josh Wycherley had neck surgery last week and will be out for four months.
Continuing to rehab: Dave Kilcoyne (ankle), Oli Jager (neck), Peter O’Mahony (hamstring), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).
Back at the HPC, Paddy Patterson (knee), Diarmuid Kilgallen (leg), Brian Gleeson (shoulder), Thaakir Abrahams (thigh) and Liam Coombes (leg) are on track to be available for selection next month.
Five Munster Rugby Academy players are included – props Ronan Foxe and Kieran Ryan, lock Evan O’Connell, flanker Ruadhán Quinn and back three player Ben O’Connor.
Emerging Ireland captain Alex Kendellen, Ethan Coughlan, Evan O’Connell and Ben O’Connor stayed in SA on completion of the Emerging Ireland Tour and have joined the squad in Cape Town.
Mark Donnell, however, has undergone ankle surgery following an injury sustained on that Tour and will be unavailable for six to eight weeks.
Munster Squad: Forwards – Diarmuid Barron, Scott Buckley, Eoghan Clarke, Niall Scannell, Stephen Archer, Ronan Foxe, Jeremy Loughman, John Ryan, Kieran Ryan, Tom Ahern, Tadhg Beirne, Jean Kleyn, Evan O’Connell, Fineen Wycherley, Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Jack O’Donoghue, Ruadhán Quinn.
Backs – Craig Casey, Ethan Coughlan, Conor Murray, Billy Burns, Jack Crowley, Tom Farrell, Alex Nankivell, Seán O’Brien, Rory Scannell, Shane Daly, Mike Haley, Calvin Nash, Ben O’Connor.
