Kerr in race against time to line out for Munster in semi-final

SIMON KERR faces a race against time if he is to be fit to take his place on the bench for Munster against Ulster in the semi-final of the Celtic League at Thomond Park on Friday night, kick-off 7.35.

Kerr, the 5ft 10inch, 18stone 4lb prop from Australia, went over on an ankle midway through the first half of Sunday’s AIB League game for Garryowen against Galwegians and was immediately replaced. Kerr, who celebrates his 34th birthday on Saturday next, will have treatment over the coming days but his fellow Aussie, Munster coach Alan Gaffney, accepted last night he was unlikely to make it.

The focus then, of course, will switch to the following week-end when Munster travel to Perpignan for an all-important Heineken Cup tie. Even at this remove, Kerr is obviously a doubtful starter for that fixture.

To add to Gaffney’s troubles, another member of the front-row union, Robert Laffan, also had to leave the field when playing for Garryowen on Sunday, further narrowing the coach’s options. There are three other props in the squad, Padraig Brennan, captain of Co Carlow, and a formidable figure at 6ft and 18st 2lb; Martin Cahill of Buccaneers and Warren O’Kelly from AIB League table-toppers Clontarf. Cahill is the most experienced of the trio and has appeared in two Heineken Cup games.

Munster will train at the Cork Constitution grounds at Temple Hill tomorrow after which Gaffney will announce his side to face Ulster whose coach, Alan Solomons, is due to show his hand at a Ravenhill press conference at 1.30 this afternoon. However, both sides are likely to be as near full-strength as makes no difference and the rival captains are expecting a very close and exciting encounter.

“Any side that can go to Biarritz and almost win has nothing to fear, even at Thomond Park”, said Munster’s Jim Williams. “Ulster probably should have won that game and probably would have done so only for a dubious try to the French. Home advantage is a help for us and I’d certainly prefer to be running out at Thomond rather than Ravenhill but that imposes its own pressure because of our supporters' expectations.

“I believe we have done well to reach the semi-finals having suffered a lot of injuries early in the campaign. But that’s the great thing about the Celtic League, it gives guys who mightn’t otherwise have the chance the opportunity to make the step up. Ulster are going to be very tough, they have fine players like Andy Ward and Jeremy Davidson coming back to fitness and we know they are approaching this game very seriously indeed.” The latter point was not lost on Ulster skipper Ward as he noted how little separated the sides when they met at the same stage at Lansdowne Road a little over 12 months ago.

“Yeah, we want to go one better than that occasion“, said the former Irish flanker. “There is some old rivalry here alright and after playing them twice at Ravenhill, we are now looking forward to taking them on at Thomond Park, where they have a marvellous record. We are up for the challenge after enjoying a few days off at Christmas followed by a game on December 27 against the Celtic Warriors to blow the cobwebs away“.