O’Connell doubtful for Heineken Cup opener against Wasps

MUNSTER captain Paul O’Connell will be pushed to make the opening Heineken Cup fixture against Wasps next week as he struggles with a disc injury in his back.

He will undergo intensive treatment, but realistically has little chance of facing the champions.

Meanwhile Munster face Edinburgh in tonight’s vital Magners League clash at Musgrave Park (7.30). Revenge is not on the agenda for coach Declan Kidney but he is conscious that Munster’s title hopes might well hinge on producing a five point result.

Kidney said: “We lost this fixture last year and it had a significant bearing on where we finished in the League.

Munster welcome back Ronan O’Gara for the first time since Ireland’s disappointing World Cup exit and he has clearly been eased in. There might have been a temptation — in the absence of injured skipper O’Connell — to give him the leader’s armband, but that responsibility now lies with Peter Stringer.

The two could relish the get together after Stringer’s shock omission from Eddie O’Sullivan’s World Cup 22 man squads against France and Argentina.

Meanwhile, Edinburgh’s Allan Jacobsen might be a key figure for the visitors in his first start of the Magners League season.

The 29-year-old prop’s World Cup adventure came to a premature end when he tore his calf muscle against Portugal in Scotland’s opening match of the tournament in September.

As a result, the Edinburgh-born front rower was expected to be out until early November, but his determination has led to a rapid recovery.

Head coach Andy Robinson believes the Edinburgh fans’ favourite, Jacobsen, will boost an all-Scotland front row that also features hooker Ross Ford and prop Gavin Kerr.

Ex-English supremo Robinson said: “Craig Smith is unfortunately out with a sore calf, so to have someone of the calibre of Jacobsen, to come in was really pleasing.”

“There is another change because Ali Warnock will be playing for his club side, so we have brought in Phil Godman.’’

Following his Edinburgh debut at Connacht last Friday, rookie stand off David Blair has been given another chance to shine as chief playmaker.

MUNSTER: D Hurley, B Carney, K Lewis, L Mafi, I Dowling, R O’Gara, P Stringer (captain), F Pucciariello, J Flannery, J Hayes, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, A Quinlan, D Wallace, D Leamy.

Replacements: T Buckley, F Sheahan, A Foley, AN Other, T O’Leary, P Warwick, R Tipoki.

EDINBURGH. H. Southwell, A. Turnbull, B. Cairns, N. De Luca, S. Webster, D. Blair, M. Blair, G. Kerr, R. Ford, C. Smith, C. Hamilton, B. Gissing, A. Hogg (captain), R. Rennie, S. Cross.

Replacements: A. Kelly, A. Allori, M. Mustchin, F. Pringle, B. Meyer, P. Godman, J. Houston.