Munster boost as Hayes to face French

THE good news is that John Hayes will be fit to line out for Munster against Clermont Auvergne in the Heineken Cup at Thomond Park on Sunday.

But Paul O’Connell is two to three weeks away from full recovery after damaging a disc in his back while the versatile Tomás O’Leary has been laid low by pneumonia and will be out of action for three weeks or so.

Coach Declan Kidney has spent the last couple of days absorbing the lessons of Saturday’s single-point defeat by London Wasps at the Ricoh Arena while also taking due note of the outstanding football produced by Sunday’s opposition in their ruthless 48-21 demolition of Llanelli Scarlets.