Those who believe Declan Kidney will be quickly able to find alternatives and back-up support for Cian Healy, Mike Ross and Tom Court, the trio who have carried the scrummaging responsibilities throughout the RBS 6 Nations Championship, will have to think again.

A combination of international commitment and injuries has resulted in a relatively inexperienced 28-man squad for Munster’s RaboDirect PRO 12 fixture in Thomond Park against Cardiff on Friday (7.05pm).

Felix Jones, Tommy O’Donnell and Mike Sherry are in Munster’s squad for Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 away to Benetton Treviso.

Felix Jones, Mike Sherry and Tommy O'Donnell have all been included in the 28-strong Munster squad that will travel to Italy in the morning for the RaboDirect PRO12 clash with Benetton Treviso on Saturday.

Felix Jones and Christy Condon were today added to Munster's Heineken Cup squad.

Tony McGahan has named a 28-strong squad for Munster’s final pool match against Northampton Saints that will be played in the stadium:mk Milton Keynes on Saturday (6pm).

Mike Sherry returns to training this week having been out of action since early October when he injured an ankle in a club game.

All those who were rested as part of the national player welfare policy, for the Christmas/New Year local derbies against Connacht and Ulster have all been named in Munster's extended squad for the visit of Benetton Treviso to Limerick on Saturday.

Just three of those who started against Connacht last weekend remain in the Munster side for the trip to Belfast and the RaboDirect PRO12 encounter with Ulster in Ravenhill tomorrow evening (6.45pm).

JOHN HAYES’S short-term deal to continue playing for with Munster looks set to end on schedule in the New Year, Munster have confirmed.

MUNSTER head coach Tony McGahan has stressed the importance of both aggression and discipline ahead of Saturday’s Heineken Cup opener against Northampton Saints at Thomond Park.

The Munster squad assembled in Cork Institute of Technology today after Tony McGahan named an extended 29 strong squad for the opening Heineken Cup game against Northampton Saints in Thomond Park Stadium next Saturday (6pm).

MUNSTER training might have had a stellar appearance to it yesterday but look a little closer and the creases on coach Tony McGahan’s furrowed brow were all too evident.

Tony McGahan has included all returning World Cup players in his 32-man squad ahead of Munster’s RaboDirect PRO12 meeting with Aironi in Musgrave Park on Friday night (8.30pm).

MUNSTER’S ongoing front-row injury problems have ensured John Hayes’ glittering career with the province will be further extended, after he was named in their Heineken Cup squad for the 2011/’12 season last night.

David Wallace has been left out of the Munster squad for the group stages of the Heineken Cup.

With the RaboDirect PRO 12 season entering a two-week break, players have a chance to enjoy some downtime - but Munster’s strength and conditioning coach Aidan O’Connell insists it will be business as usual for players looking to recover from injuries.

The Leinster medical team have reported no fresh injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO 12 clash with Connacht at the RDS (5pm).

New signing Jared Payne is in line to make his Ulster debut at Ravenhill this Friday against Cardiff Blues (7.05pm) after he was named in the preliminary 29-man squad by Brian McLaughlin.

JONATHAN SEXTON’S wayward kicking display against the USA last Sunday has been dismissed as a blip by the man who works on that aspect of his game on a weekly basis.

KEVIN McLAUGHLIN admits it was difficult to put his World Cup rejection behind him but insists he is focused on the job at hand here at home with Leinster.

TOMÁS O’LEARY, John Hayes, James Coughlan and Johne Murphy are named in the 28-man Munster squad for Saturday’s RaboDirect Pro12 opening fixture against Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park (7.45pm).

Tomas O'Leary won’t have time to dwell on his disappointing exclusion from Declan Kidney’s World Cup selection, having been named in Munster’s squad for the opening round of the RaboDirect PRO12.

TOMÁS O’Leary has been included in Munster’s squad for Friday’s Thomond Park Stadium clash with London Irish (7pm).

TOMÁS O’LEARY had little time to mull over his World Cup axing as the scrum-half returned to training with Munster yesterday.

Cork Constitution 19 Young Munster 9

THE October weekend showdown between Ulster League champions Cork Constitution and newly promoted Young Munster attracted a bumper crowd to Temple Hill, as it would.

FELIX JONES, Niall Ronan and Peter O’Mahony all made successful returns to action following injury at Shaws Bridge, Belfast, yesterday as Munster easily disposed of Ulster Ravens in an A Interprovincial.

Denis Leamy and Peter Stringer have been included in an enlarged Munster squad for Saturday's Magners League clash with Newport Gwent Dragons at Musgrave Park, kick-off 7.30pm.

LEINSTER will battle to retain the services of prop forward Mike Ross next season with increased speculation the Cork native is set for a return to his Munster roots following the departure of Tony Buckley to Sale Sharks.

MUNSTER squandered the opportunity to solidify their position at the summit of the Magners League standings as they slumped to a one-point defeat at the hands of Treviso at the Stadio di Monigo yesterday.

MUNSTER’S comfortable position at the top of the Magners League will be under threat tomorrow when they meet Benetton Treviso in the Stadio Comunale di Monigo.

Munster coach Tony McGahan has named a youthful side ahead of Sunday’s Magners League match away to Treviso, kick-off 2pm.

MUNSTER’S Denis Hurley, Johne Murphy, Mick O’Driscoll and Donncha Ryan will rejoin the province after spending the week on international duty for a first ever Magners League assignment in Italy on Sunday.

PETER STRINGER will be plying his trade with Munster in a Magners League game against Treviso on Sunday around the same time Ireland prepare to face France in the RBS Six Nations at the Aviva Stadium.

MUNSTER have moved swiftly to secure the talents of some of the province’s brightest young stars.

BILLY HOLLAND had a great deal to live up to when he first lined out with CBC in the Avonmore Munster Schools Senior Cup in 2002.

THE faithful filing out of Thomond Park on Saturday night were not exactly humming “Happy Days Are Here Again” but the gloom hanging over Munster rugby of late has been at least partially lifted.

Munster gave themselves a fighting chance of qualifying for the Amlin Challenge Cup with a 28-14 victory over London Irish in their final Heineken Cup Pool Three clash, but coach Tony McGahan was just pleased to see his side restore some pride with the bonus-point success.

Munster 28 London Irish 14

LOSING this afternoon’s final Heineken Cup game of the season at home to London Irish is not an option.

THE postmortems were under way from an early hour throughout Munster yesterday and continued long into the night as people reflected on the failure of their team to reach the knock-out stages of the Heineken Cup for the first time in 13 years.

A NOTABLE difference in attitude informed both fans and pundits ahead of Munster’s failed Heineken Cup rescue mission in Toulon on Sunday.

Paul O’Connell has today been named in a 27-man squad for Sunday’s crunch Heineken Cup clash against Toulon in the Stade Félix Mayol, kick-off 4pm.