BJ Botha and Denis Hurley headlined a list of departing players from Munster as plans for life under incoming director of rugby Rassie Erasmus continue to take shape.

Rugby stars are sharing their difficult off-field experiences in a campaign that encourages people to look after their mental well-being. Helen O’Callaghan reports

Scarlets 25 Munster 22: Anthony Foley may find himself scratching his head over this one for some time to come after Munster gave up a 10-point lead to lose a game they did not trail in until the final second.

Ospreys 18 Munster 20: A last-gasp converted try from replacement CJ Stander saw Munster stun the Ospreys and make it two wins from two at the start of the new Guinness Pro 12 campaign.

Munster 21 London Irish 15: Munster produced a top drawer second-half performance as they put London Irish to the sword in front of an enthusiastic attendance of 5,208.

Munster 29 Grenoble 38: A thoroughly convincing 30-minute debut in the red jersey by Tyler Bleyendaal convinced onlookers at Thomond Park that Munster may have come up with a priceless nugget in the New Zealand number 10.

Peter O’Mahony is good to go and lead Munster against Glasgow Warriors in Saturday’s Guinness Pro12 final in Belfast but serious doubts remain about two other current Irish team members, Conor Murray and Simon Zebo, with medical reports awaited on them today.

Munster may well travel to Italy this weekend within reach of the Guinness PRO12 lead but they are acutely aware how quickly their status could change if they allow complacency to creep in ahead of Saturday’s visit to Zebre.

Rory Best will start for Ulster against Munster in tomorrow's match at Thomond Park while Munster coach Anthony Foley has named a strong squad bolstered by a number of returning internationals.

GUINNESS PRO12:

Dragons 12 Munster 38

GUINNESS PRO12:

Munster head coach Anthony Foley has made seven changes to his starting 15 for their trip to Wales on Friday night.

At a time when Conor Murray is establishing himself as one of the world’s leading scrum-halves, it must be a little frustrating for the likes of Duncan Williams and Cathal Sheridan, his understudies at Munster, to see exactly what the future might hold.

Anthony Foley has made 11 changes to the starting fifteen that

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Senior flanker Sean Dougall returns to active service with Munster’s A’s tonight facing Nottingham as Mick O’Driscoll’s men look to bounce back from last week’s defeat by Worcester.

Munster A coach Mick O’Driscoll makes four personnel changes from last weekend’s British & Irish Cup for this afternoon’s clash with Worcester Warriors (Sixways, 3pm).

Munster A 27 Moseley 21

Even though Anthony Foley was far from optimistic about Keith Earls’ prospects of being given the all clear at his consultation with a top Swedish consultant in London on Monday next, the Munster head coach has included the Ireland and Lions centre in his 38-man European Champions Cup squad.

Anthony Foley has named his starting 15 for Munster’s game against Benetton Treviso on Friday and handed Felix Jones the captaincy for the first time.

Ian Keatley will start at out-half for Munster in their Guinness PRO12 opener at home to Edinburgh tonight (KO: 7.35pm) nursing the same injury he had to manage throughout the last campaign.

Munster coach Anthony Foley has included three debutants as he named his starting side for their opening PRO12 fixture.

Munster 17 London Irish 5

Veterans Donncha O’Callaghan and BJ Botha provide the experience in an otherwise youthful side chosen by new Munster head coach Anthony Foley for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly against Gloucester at Kingsholm (3pm).

So all that is left are the handshakes and farewells, as Rob Penney departs Munster for a new coaching adventure in Japan.

Rob Penney has given Simon Zebo the all-clear for Munster’s RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final trip to Glasgow on Friday night.

Munster captain Peter O’Mahony has undergone a second shoulder operation in the space of a month, provincial head coach Rob Penney said yesterday.

Scarlets have received a double boost in advance of this evening’s RaboDirect Pro12 clash with leaders Munster at Parc Y Scarlets.

The unfortunate injury that rules Cathal Sheridan out for the rest of the season has opened a window of opportunity for Duncan Williams as Munster’s season reaches a crucial stage.

Donnacha Ryan is ready for another call-to-arms if required by Ireland coach Joe Schmidt.

Donnacha Ryan has been named in the Munster side for tomorrow night's clash with Zebre at Musgrave Park (ko 6:45pm).

There may be plenty of positives from Munster’s season so far, but that will count for nothing if the province does not go on and finish the job, says Cathal Sheridan.

Rob Penney looks certain to remain as Munster head coach for at least another season.

While some uncertainty remains about his future, Rob Penney is putting complete faith in his side.

HEINEKEN CUP POOL 6:

Munster head coach Rob Penney has kept faith with fly-half Ian Keatley to regain his form and steer the province to victory over Gloucester at Kingsholm tonight (6pm).

Another week, another new tournament on the horizon.

In terms of resolving outstanding issues, head coach Rob Penney is receiving plenty of encouragement from his medics ahead of Munster’s Heineken Cup clash in Gloucester, even if he appears more than happy to put discussion of his own future on hold.

Conor Murray and Simon Zebo have returned to training this week ahead of Munster's crucial Heinekan Cup clash with Gloucester at Kingsholm.

Simon Zebo looks set to further boost Munster’s Heineken Cup hopes by following Conor Murray into action on Saturday for the must-win Pool 6 clash at Gloucester.