Donncha ‘in a lovely spot’ and geared to go

Three weeks into the new campaign and Munster are slowly resuming a semblance of proper order.

Ronan O’Gara, Keith Earls and Conor Murray are set to make their seasonal debuts at some stage during the RaboDirect Pro12 derby against Ulster on Friday at Ravenhill, having been made available by the IRFU under its player welfare protocols.

Donnacha Ryan, Peter O’Mahony and Simon Zebo will be the next internationals to resume duty, most likely in round four, when Munster host the Newport Gwent Dragons at Thomond Park on September 22. And flanker Niall Ronan is not far away either, his rehab from knee surgery in January complete to the extent that he will also see action in Ulster this Friday, though likely in the afternoon’s A game at Belfast Harlequins’ Deramore Park.