O’Leary to miss Munster’s Brive clash

MUNSTER will be without international scrum-half Tomás O’Leary for the province’s Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final with Brive on April 9.

O’Leary has been sidelined since injuring his eye in a freak training accident before the Six Nations clash with England. He meets a specialist this week to assess his recovery but Munster chiefs last night predicted he wouldn’t return until the Magners League tie against the Scarlets on April 16. Fellow international Jerry Flannery will undergo a surgical procedure to discover the cause of his long term calf problem.

A spokesman said: “Tomás O’Leary (eye) will see a specialist this week but is expected to be in the frame for the Scarlets game while Jerry Flannery (calf) undergoes a surgical procedure in Santry this week after which medics will further assess his injury.

“Ian Dowling (hip) will see a specialist again early next month and Barry Murphy (foot) has two more weeks of rehab to undergo before he can return to training. Tom Gleeson (hernia operation) is expected to be in consideration for the Scarlets in a fortnight. Dave Foley who injured his shoulder in a club game on Saturday will be out of action for 3 to 4 weeks.”

Munster trained at the Cork Institute of Technology yesterday ahead of Saturday’s derby date with Leinster at Thomond Park. Paul Warwick, who had been in Australia with his family, took a full part in the session as did Damien Varley and Denis Hurley after minor injuries.

Meanwhile former Irish U21 lock forward Damien Browne says Munster will face a seriously fired-up Brive side if the French side can complete the second part of a relegation dogfight this weekend.

The 30-year old former Connacht player says all of his side’s focus is on avoiding relegation from the French Top 14 before they switch attention to the Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final on Saturday week.

And Brive got the first segment of their relegation battle off to a flying start when they thrashed Bourgoin 50-6 at the weekend.

Browne, now in his third season with Brive, said survival in the French top flight is the main focus.

“These two games against Bourgoin and La Rochelle are prime targets for the club and victory in both of them will leave us in a good frame of mind going into the Munster match.

“There was big excitement when the draw was finalised and we knew we would be facing Munster but since then all our efforts have been on the Top 14 and getting out of relegation.

Tickets are still available to purchase for the game via www.munsterrugby.ie/fans/tickets.php.