O’Connell and Earls remain injury concerns ahead of semi-final
The duo, who are struggling with groin strains, are not included in the squad for Saturday’s crucial Magners League clash with Ospreys at Thomond Park (6.30pm).
Even if O’Connell is fit for Biarritz, coach Tony McGahan would be presented with a selection problem given that the captain hasn’t had a game since Ireland’s Six Nations defeat to Scotland on March 20th. Earls did come through the quarter-final win 10 days ago and has the better chance of seeing action in northern Spain.
Manager Shaun Payne last night acknowledged that rest is the best remedy for the complaints and admits the clock is ticking.
“Paul and Keith both have groin injuries,” said Payne. “They are obviously hangover issues from the internationals. It’s a strange injury. It can flare up, it can settle down, but it needs rest and the more you load it, the worse it’s going to get.
“What we’re trying to do is manage their work load. We’d be confident that both will be available for Biarritz but it’s not a broken arm that heals within a certain amount of time.
“These are difficult and very frustrating injuries for the medical staff to have to deal with. It’s a waiting and seeing game.
“You do rehab work but the flip side is that they can’t be on their feet and training all week because that will only flare up the injury so there is a balancing act in place.”
He added: “We need them training, they can’t go into a game without any preparation so there will be a cut-off point.
“Three or four players won’t have had a match since Northampton but these are concerns we’ve had to deal with year after year. Is it anything new to us? No, absolutely not. We’re at the business end of the season.
Payne is “quietly confident” that wings Doug Howlett and Ian Dowling, both excluded from the panel for Saturday, will be fit for Biarritz. “They are limiting their training this week to things that won’t aggravate their injuries,’’ he said.
However, that is essentially where the good news ends.
Groin strains have become quite common place in the Munster squad and the same ailment keeps Nick Williams, the big New Zealander, who shone against Connacht, out of the Ospreys game. And while Munster yesterday released a 27 strong squad, it can be assumed that they will field as close to full-strength as possible, all the more so because so many of the fringe players who starred in the hard earned victory in Galway on Sunday, are required for the first leg of Saturday’s doubleheader at Thomond Park when the A side face their Ulster counterparts in the British and Irish Cup semi-final.
“Nothing has changed with our selection policy this week,” Payne insisted.
“In the Magners League the week before the big games, we have tried to play as full a side as we can in preparation and we’ll be trying to do the same this time. That said, Galway was a very satisfying win for us with a much changed squad. Some of the young lads, especially the forwards, were very, very good and some of the older lads as well.”
Payne confirmed that there is no doubt about Saturday’s game going ahead.
He explained that the Ospreys are discussing their travel arrangements with the Magners League administration and if necessary will avail of the many ferry options open to them.
As for the Biarritz game, Munster are examining the various alternatives should the volcanic ash crisis prevent them travelling by air.
MUNSTER (squad v Ospreys): Forwards: A. Quinlan, B. Holland, D. Varley, D. Barnes, D. Foley, D. Ryan, D. Wallace, Denis Hurley, D. O’Callaghan, J. Coughlan, J. de Villiers, J. Flannery, J. Hayes, J. Brugnaut. Backs: L. Mafi, M. Horan, M, O’Driscoll, N. Ronan, P. Warwick, P. O’Mahoney, P. Stringer, R. O’Gara, S. Deasy, S. Zebo, T. Gleeson, T. O’Leary, T. Buckley.
