Munster captain Peter O’Mahony, an injury doubt for Sunday’s Champions Cup clash with Castres, says he and his squad will stand by Gerbrandt Grobler, as the debate continues over the decision to sign a player who served a two-year doping ban.

Connacht prop JP Cooney has been ruled out for most of the remainder of the season while coach Kieran Keane is sweating on the fitness of loosehead Denis Buckley and impressive flanker Jarrad Butler ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Ulster.

It does not matter to Alex Wootton whether his tries are spectacular or, as he puts it, “cheeky”, the Munster wing enjoys each variety and has shown he can do both with equal aplomb.

B&I Cup final:

MUNSTER - Team news

Bill Johnston made an eagerly anticipated return to rugby last Friday when he featured for Garryowen against Young Munster but the gifted out-half is to be eased back into the provincial and international arenas.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

Paul O’Connell’s low key but significant advisory role with the academy and the general improvement of the provincial squad are two of the principle reasons Munster A’s participation in the B&I Cup is worthwhile and capable of benefiting the squad in different ways, head coach Peter Malone believes.

Munster A couldn’t have faced a stiffer challenge than the champions in today’s B&I Cup opener with London Welsh at Towns Park, Midleton (2.30p.m.), but coach Peter Malone believes his young side will be up to the task.

Soldier Field, Chicago. The All Blacks. Rarely has one game and one venue captured the imagination in the manner of Ireland’s upcoming meeting with New Zealand in the Windy City. 

Jared Payne. Richardt Strauss. CJ Stander.

It’s late December. Festive season, though it feels like anything but for Munster.

Anthony Foley believes Munster have done some good business by landing Irish tighthead John Andress and re-signing former academy lock Darren O’Shea for next season.

With the pressure valve released a little, our rugby correspondent Simon Lewis teases out the green shoots of Munster’s recovery with head coach Anthony Foley.

Dependent on team selection higher up, Munster A coach Mick O’Driscoll has rung the changes for tomorrow’s British & Irish Cup game with Yorkshire Carnegie in Lockwood Park, Huddersfield.

David Wallace believes Munster need to look beyond the dressing room walls for answers to their crisis, with former head coach Declan Kidney and new Ireland defence coach Andy Farrell two of the men he feels could make a difference at the struggling province.

Some 29 years have elapsed since Connacht last beat Munster at Thomond Park. In that space of time, they have been unlucky on a few occasions, on others they returned west on the back of one or two hammerings. 

Leicester Tigers 33 Stade Francais 20: Leicester Tigers got their European Rugby Champions Cup campaign off to a flying start with a four-try demolition of French champions Stade Francais.

Munster A - champions in 2012, begin their challenge for a second B & I Cup title when they take on London Scottish at the Athletic ground in Richmond, London tonight (7.45pm).

Guinness Pro12: In the absence of their big name international stars, Leinster’s side for Sunday’s Guinness Pro12 tie against Newport Gwent Dragons at the RDS will have an unfamiliar look to it.

Group leaders Worcester Warriors provide the opposition to Munster A in round five of the B&I Cup tournament at Cork Institute of Technology this evening (7.30pm) in a must-win game for the home side.

The frontliners are away with Ireland and European competition has been put to bed for another six weeks but Munster can ill afford to switch off when they return to Guinness Pro12 action at Cardiff Blues on Saturday, Billy Holland has warned.

Lost amid the post mortems of Munster’s Aviva Stadium victory over Leinster last Saturday was the no-fanfare return pitchside of a former great when the ‘A’ teams faced off earlier that afternoon.

Denis Hurley and Johne Murphy have both signed one-year contract extensions that will see them remain with the province and the IRFU until June 2015.

Munster’s Casey Laulala is likely to miss the province’s Heineken Cup semi-final clash with Toulon in Marseille on April 27 following confirmation that he broke a bone in his right hand during Saturday’s victory over Toulouse.

Revenge will be in the air when Munster A take on Leinster A in tonight’s B&I cup quarter-final clash at Donnybrook, (7pm) a repeat of last season’s final four encounter where Leinster came out on top.

Munster could be poised to mix up their midfield for tomorrow’s RaboDirect Pro12 top-of-the-table clash with Leinster by including Denis Hurley at inside centre.