O’Gara boost for Munster

MUNSTER’S prospects of achieving a favourable outcome from Saturday’s Magners League clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons (6.30pm) were given a major boost last night by the news that Ronan O’Gara will line out at out-half.

O’Gara and Tony Buckley came into the Irish team in the final quarter of last Saturday’s game against England. However, as they didn’t start at Twickenham, they have been made available to Munster by the national management, news that was warmly greeted by manager Shaun Payne.

“It’s a massive bonus to have Rog back,” he agreed. “Personally, he’d have been very disappointed at not starting against England so you can be sure of one thing and it’s that he’ll be raring to go when he gets back on the pitch with us. It’s a huge positive for us, especially because we have some younger fellows and there’s no better role model than Rog.