Lima signing gives Munster timely boost
Subject to a medical report and work permit, Lima will arrive in Ireland later this month and will be available for the Heineken Cup quarter final clash with Biarritz in San Sebastian on April 3.
Lima’s involvement in the Tsunami match between the northern and southern hemisphere last week was timely in that it came only hours before Cullen’s unfortunate injury in the Celtic League clash with Cardiff Blues.
Once Cullen was ruled out for the season, Munster went into over-drive in a bid to woo his replacement.
The 32-year-old utility back - who made his Test debut against Wales in 1991 - is a veteran of four World Cups for Samoa and will be on duty next week for his country in the World Sevens tournament in Hong Kong before joining up with his new Munster colleagues.
His pace has long been recognised throughout the rugby world and is clearly something Munster’s back line could do with. Lima has been able to mix it between sevens and 15-a-side rugby since he first burst on the international scene as an 18 year old.
He is Samoa’s top try scorer (23) and the Apia-born star has lined out for the Auckland Blues, Otago Highlanders, Stade Francais and Gloucester in a 14-year international career.
The signing was hailed yesterday by coach Alan Gaffney as “a magnificent piece of work by Munster chief executive Garret Fitzgerald.”
“The pressure was on given the time we had at our disposal but Garret and his team did a magnificent job to get all the negotiation and paperwork processed in time,” said the coach.
“It was tough to lose Christian at a time when he was playing particularly well and we didn’t have time on our side. Happily, Brian Lima was available and in the right place at the right time. The Tsunami match and the impact he made in it was a perfect reminder of what he is capable of.”
Munster have also drafted in former Ireland U21 scrum-half Frank Murphy as their second addition for the knock-out stages. That will come as bad news for Mike Prendergast and Eoin Reddan, both of whom struggled in Munster’s recent Celtic League loss to Cardiff.
The 23-year-old Murphy, who already has ten caps for the province is now likely to leap-frog both Prendergast and Reddan in the pecking order behind Peter Stringer.
Gaffney remarked: “I am very happy with the quality of player we have been able to nominate. Frank Murphy is a player who I believe has a lot to offer and he fully deserves this opportunity.”
Ahead of Thursday’s Heineken Cup registration deadline, Leinster confirmed the registrations of Ireland international Keith Gleeson and 24-year-old Fijian international lock forward Ifereimi Rawaqa from the World Corporation club in Japan.
Gleeson was injured when coach Declan Kidney first put his squad together but has now made a successful return after breaking his leg.
Ifereimi signs on a short-term contract for the remainder of the season. Niall Treston is also coming in as one of the front row players, as per ERC rules.
Meanwhile, Leinster confirmed that David Holwell will not be playing for Leinster next season as he has decided to return home to New Zealand.
Leinster chief executive Mick Dawson said: “David has decided to return home to Northland for family reasons having lived away from home for close to seven years.”
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