All the signs have been there: the pre-tournament contract extension, the ominous warm-up performances, the stalled momentum…

Twenty-one months out of rugby was a long, lonely time for Mike Sherry.

On and off the field, Eusebio Guinazu is not looking beyond the next three weeks as he bids to help power Munster to a first trophy in four years.

Munster’s plans for next season have taken further shape after the IRFU approved its bid to re-sign former Springbok tighthead prop BJ Botha.

Former Munster hooker Damien Varley revealed he broke down in tears in a taxi after learning he would have to retire from rugby because of a debilitating foot injury.

Munster assistant coach Ian Costello last night dismissed media reports that Robbie Henshaw could be on his way to the province at the end of next season. 

Damien Varley, one of the most committed and popular Munster players over the past eight years, has announced his retirement. 

"It is with great sadness that I have to announce my premature retirement.”

The Ireland coaching staff has today named an extended squad of 46 players for the upcoming RBS 6 Nations matches against Italy and France, as well as the Ireland Wolfhounds fixture against the England Saxons.

Munster are keeping their fingers crossed that two experienced Irish Internationals, Keith Earls and Donnacha Ryan, will be available for their European Champions Cup games against Saracens and Sale Sharks next month.

A year is a long time in rugby, but not long enough for Duncan Casey to stop appreciating the opportunity he is being given to cement a place in Munster’s front row.

The Champions Cup is well and truly up and running.

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt has named a 37-man squad for the forthcoming Guinness Series against South Africa, Georgia and Australia.

European Champions Cup Pool 1

Anthony Foley knew one thing only too well as the dust settled on Munster’s excellent victory over Leinster in the Guinness Pro12 at the Aviva Stadium last Saturday.

Munster are keeping their fingers crossed that a hooker crisis can be warded off over the next week and Duncan Casey and Damien Varley are available for the European Champions Cup clash away to Sale on Saturday week.

Leinster 23 Munster 34

Fired-up Munster beat arch rivals Leinster in Dublin for the first time since 2008 as Anthony Foley’s coaching reign finally took off at the Aviva Stadium.

It seems a little early in the Guinness Pro12 schedule for this match-up between old foes to feel like a crossroads game but for both Leinster and Munster this first weekend of October is exactly the moment where things start to get serious.

Heading into this evening’s much-discussed Guinness Pro12 encounter with Leinster at the Aviva Stadium, Munster find themselves in the unusual position of having already lost two of their three home games to date.

Peter O'Mahony and Damien Varley are both named as replacements in the Munster squad meeting Leinster in Dublin on Saturday.

Guinness Pro12

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’s first year as Munster head coach seems to be lurching from one crisis to another.

Munster will welcome back Ian Keatley, Simon Zebo and Andrew Conway for their Guinness Pro12 opener at home to Edinburgh on Friday, but hooker Damien Varley’s next appearance in the red jersey remains uncertain.

Argentina hooker Eusebio Guinazu has signed for Munster on a four-month deal to offset Mike Sherry’s long-term shoulder injury.

Head coach Anthony Foley will have the pleasure of taking a winning team into Munster’s Guinness Pro12 campaign but he has demanded plenty more hard work from his players ahead of Friday’s season opener at home to Edinburgh.

Anthony Foley has been waiting for this week ever since his appointment as head Munster coach, and now that the first game of the new season — albeit a friendly against Gloucester at Kingsholm on Saturday — is almost here, the buzz about the man and all those around him was only too apparent at Cork IT yesterday.

INTERNATIONAL TEST:

Leinster back Dave Kearney has been left out of Ireland's 30-man squad for the two-Test tour of Argentina in June.

Another Munster campaign reaches its conclusion without silverware or even a final appearance to show for all the sweat, toil and trouble, leaving incoming head coach Anthony Foley and his squad with plenty to ponder over the summer months.

RABO DIRECT PRO 12:

Glasgow 16 Munster 15

Glasgow Warriors coach Gregor Townsend landed a selection surprise at Munster’s door ahead of tonight’s RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final at Scotstoun by dropping some star names from his in-form side.

Damien Varley retains the captaincy for Munster's PRO12 semi-final against Glasgow Warriors on Friday night at Scotstoun Stadium, ko 7.35pm.

Munster’s underperforming players should be afraid for their places ahead of Friday night’s RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final in Glasgow, says stand-in captain, Damien Varley.

It may be a dead rubber in the eyes of some but for Munster’s Damien Varley, Saturday’s clash with Ulster holds plenty of reasons to put on a show at Thomond Park.

Edinburgh 12 Munster 55

Munster took a giant step towards a home semi-final in the RaboDirect Pro12 play-offs with a comprehensive 55-12 win at Edinburgh.

Edinburgh have issued a worrying decree — Munster will have to fight for a productive result in Scotland tonight.

Munster have made 11 changes to the side that lost to Toulon in the semi-finals of the Heineken Cup for their penultimate league game against Edinburgh.

It was Rob Penney’s last European Cup link with Munster and he was, naturally, hugely disappointed after the semi-final defeat by champions Toulon.

Munster head coach Rob Penney has demanded his players not fall into the same trap Leinster did when they were dominated by Toulon as they prepare to stop the Heineken Cup champions in their tracks in tomorrow’s semi-final showdown in Marseille.