Purchase may be Thomond death knell
The new site, alongside the University of Limerick, and to the rear of Singland Motors, is to be developed primarily for club use with the possibility of Munster teams training there.
A Munster Branch source was adamant their new investment is not a long-term replacement for Thomond Park.
Plans which had been put in place to upgrade the northside venue are now believed to be shelved.
One leading Limerick rugby figure, involved in the purchase of the Dublin Road property, predicted that Thomond Park, fondly known as the shrine of Irish rugby, was nearing the end of its days.
"The emphasis now is on the redevelopment of Musgrave Park that is where whatever monies are available are being poured into. I'm afraid Cork has stolen a march on us. We diddled and daddled over the years here in Limerick while they got on with it."
The IRFU, the owners of Thomond Park, unsuccessfully tried to assemble properties in the adjoining Ballynanty housing estate which would have allowed them to refurbish Thomond.
The intention was to turn the pitch 90 degrees, demolishing the existing stand and replacing it with a 15,000-seat structure, including corporate boxes. Ground capacity was to be increased to 26,000 from the existing 16,000.
The ten-acre site just purchased in Limerick will consist of three playing pitches, dressing rooms and car park area.
Contractors are to move in soon to drain the land and raise ground levels.
Significantly, it will not be of the required standard to accommodate future Celtic League and European Cup games.
A source close to the Munster Branch said: "It will be developed primarily for club usage with the possibility of Munster teams using it as a training facility only. It was not bought as a replacement for Thomond Park. The main advantage from a training ground perspective is that it is alongside the University of Limerick and all its facilities."
Meanwhile, Munster bosses anxiously await news on the fitness of Paul O'Connell ahead of the Heineken Cup opener against Sale Sharks. O'Connell is to have an assessment on his damaged hand tomorrow after initial fears that he may be out of action for another month.
In that scenario, coach Declan Kidney will be hoping for a clean bill of health for his existing fit specialist second row forwards, Donncha O'Callaghan, Mick O'Driscoll and Trevor Hogan.
O'Driscoll has impressed in the Celtic League campaign culminating in a man of the match performance in the win over Leinster on Sunday.
Ronan O'Gara, new signing Anthon Pitout, John Kelly and Barry Murphy were all injured at the weekend but none are serious concerns. Further worries surround John Hayes (ear infection) and Trevor Halstead (back spasm), who cried off in the hours leading up to the Leinster match, but both are expected to be fully fit well in time for Friday week's Heineken Cup tie.
Anthony Horgan is back in training, although he has still only an outside chance of coming back to full fitness in time for the match with Sale.
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