Munster give Hayes another week off

MUNSTER have opted to give John Hayes another week off and he will sit out Sunday’s Magners League game against the Scarlets at Musgrave Park. Meanwhile, they are keeping their fingers crossed that Marcus Horan will take a full part in Shannon’s AIB League game against St Mary’s College on Saturday.

Hayes was one of eight senior internationals to take a breather over the last fortnight and he is being given another seven days to recharge the batteries.

Horan has also been excluded from the preliminary squad of 26 for Sunday’s game, with the Munster management keeping their fingers crossed that Shannon’s AIB League game against St Mary’s at Templeville Road on Saturday takes place and that he will be able to play a full part.

“Marcus has trained really well with the squad and done all his contact sessions,” manager Shaun Payne explained. “We want him to get a full game in this weekend but weather is playing havoc with fixtures.”

While club games are in jeopardy, Payne expressed his confidence Musgrave Park will be fine. “I’m very positive that our game will go ahead, after speaking with ground staff, I can’t see any reason it shouldn’t.”

With the exception of Hayes, all the big names return for Sunday which could be a dress rehearsal for the following week’s Heineken Cup games against Treviso and Northampton. While piecing together the best front-row combination and finding the most suitable alternative available for injured number eight Denis Leamy are the primary concerns, the composition of Sunday’s centre partnership will arouse massive interest when it is revealed at lunchtime tomorrow.

“We’re particularly blessed to have three guys of the quality of Jean de Villiers, Lifeimi Mafi and Keith Earls,” said Payne.

For now, though, Denis Fogarty and Damien Varley will continue to share the hooking duties with Payne stating “while Jerry Flannery is recovering very well from the procedure he had on his Achilles, he certainly won’t be involved this weekend”.

In this regard, Munster are fortunate that Fogarty and Varley have stepped up to the plate, with Payne enthusing: “They have both been excellent and I thought Damien was very good against Ulster. Now all three of those lads are getting closer together in terms of performance which is great for us.”

One of the most disconcerting aspects of the Munster squad is the number of players ruled out long-term. Denis Leamy has been joined by Felix Jones, suffering a serious neck injury in the Connacht game a fortnight ago while Payne revealed prop Darragh Hurley is still in hospital receiving treatment on a damaged eye.

“Felix had a successful procedure on his neck,” said the manager. “Unfortunately, we probably won’t see him again this season. We’re looking at five, six months, recovery time.”

Among those who may also see precious little game time before the end of the season are Dave Ryan, Nick Williams, Jeremy Manning, Ciaran O’Boyle and Barry Murphy.

* Ireland coach Declan Kidney will be guest speaker at a gala Grand Slam Dinner Dance hosted by Dolphin this Saturday.

Billed as a fundraiser to celebrate Dolphin’s connections with the 1948 and 2009 winning teams, Ireland’s Grand Slam-winning coach – who also enjoyed stints as head coach of the Cork club – will be on hand along with other Dolphin representatives from these sides who include Tomás O’Leary (2009), Jim McCarthy and Bertie O’Hanlon (both 1948). Legendary out-half Jack Kyle, who played with McCarthy and O’Hanlon on the ‘48 side, will also be a guest at the Clarion as will the Triple Crown and 6 Nation trophies and Churchill Cup.

MUNSTER SQUAD: Forwards: W. du Preez, S. Archer, T. Buckley, D. Fogarty, D. Varley, P. O’Connell, D. Ryan, D. O’Callaghan, M. O’Driscoll, A. Quinlan, N. Ronan, D. Wallace, J. Coughlan, B. Holland. Backs: P. Stringer, T. O’Leary, D. Williams, R. O’Gara, P. Warwick, L. Mafi, K. Earls, J. de Villiers, T. Gleeson, D. Howlett, I. Dowling, D. Hurley.