Munster sweat on Howlett and Earls ahead of Clermont clash

Munster skipper Doug Howlett remains “very doubtful” for Saturday’s Heineken Cup semi-final against competition favourites Clermont Auvergne as head coach Rob Penney assesses a mixed bag of injury news before finalising his team selection.

Former All Blacks winger Howlett missed the quarter-final victory over Harlequins having injured a shoulder in the previous weekend’s game in Glasgow on March 29 while tighthead prop Stephen Archer is definitely ruled out of the trip to Montpellier’s Stade de la Mosson with a wrist injury suffered on Friday against the Dragons. He’ll be sidelined for around four weeks.

Munster will have to wait a little longer to address their two other injury concerns with outside centre Keith Earls having trained yesterday but needs to come through today’s session at Musgrave Park in Cork before the shoulder he dislocated in the final Six Nations game against Italy on March 16 is passed fit for purpose. Second row Donncha O’Callaghan (knee) is in a similar position but fellow lock Donnacha Ryan should be okay to face the French side having been stood down since the Harlequins game on April 7 to nurse his problematic shoulder back to health.