McGahan wants rookies to step up
With the former All Black undergoing surgery yesterday afternoon on a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered during last weekend’s RaboDirect Pro12 league defeat at Ospreys, Munster director of rugby McGahan is banking on promising rookies like Simon Zebo stepping up to the plate as well as the return to fitness of Keith Earls and Felix Jones to see the province through its current injury crisis in the back three.
Jones’ comeback from the ankle injury, which saw him ruled out of Ireland’s World Cup campaign in August, is unlikely to be before the end of the Pool 1 qualifying campaign.
Earls is due back training next week having missed the opening victories over Northampton and Castres after suffering knee ligament damage early last month.
Zebo, 21, has impressed in the league against Edinburgh and Ospreys, and despite turning an ankle in training on Tuesday, the wing has earned a place in the 30-man squad named by McGahan yesterday for the trip to Wales.
Those developments and the lack of available quality reinforcements have convinced McGahan to stick with the players within his squad for the time being, he said yesterday on a day when, coincidentally, Peter Stringer was added to Saracens’ Heineken Cup squad following his three-month loan move from Munster.
“I think there is an option there [within competition rules] to allow you bring a player into the squad, I think one front row and one player during the pool stages,” McGahan said.
“But we are still hoping on [hooker] Mike Sherry that he might try and get back, we are still hoping that Felix Jones will get back at some stage, you are looking at those players existing in the squad to come back in and you are also looking at the availability of a player to bring in.
“You cannot bring in anyone who has already played ERC rugby or Amlin Challenge this year so Europe really tightens that group. You have all the Super 15 players who are starting back in [pre-season], you have seen Australia’s top players are in four to six weeks rest so they are untouchable for a period of time and it has got to be a three-month contract, minimum.
“So all of those factors, if we can get through with what we have got then that will be our first port of call. And then we have to get permission from the Irish Rugby Football Union to make that happen. There are so many boxes to be ticked for that to happen. Hopefully Keith is back next week to come back in so that will give us another boost there.”
Howlett’s injury may open the door for Queensland Reds centre/wing Will Chambers to extend his contract beyond the short-term deal he signed in September as much-needed cover.
Howlett’s unquestioned quality, however, means he will be sorely missed and McGahan said he was hopeful the wing, a try scorer against Northampton and Castres, would make a successful recovery and re-sign with the province when his contract expires at the end of this season.
“Contract talks start probably around this period so we’ll just wait and see. You have got some clear and recent examples of players doing their Achilles, (such as) Dan Carter and Ali Williams, has been noted. You had Jared Payne up in Ulster with the same injury. Both of those New Zealand guys have come back and played extremely well and been World Cup winners.
“We see Doug being in the same boat, with the professionalism, the way he carries himself and the way he trains and looks after himself, he is the ultimate professional. He’ll certainly give himself every opportunity.”
McGahan said Howlett, 33, had expressed his desire to stay with Munster beyond his current deal.
“No doubt. The way he plays and conducts himself and the way he has bought into Munster endears himself to supporters.
“But also within the group he is such a powerful presence. But not only for the younger players but also he is a senior player here… certainly he is well within the mix with guiding them and keeping everyone on their toes as well as the coaches and management.
“We think he has been outstanding. What he brings to the group is certainly not underestimated.”
Munster squad (Heineken Cup Pool 1, Round 3 game v Scarlets): Forwards: M Horan, W du Preez, BJ Botha, J Hayes, S Archer, D Varley, D Fogarty, D Ryan, P O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, I Nagle, B Holland, P O’Mahony, N Ronan, T O’Donnell, J Coughlan, D Leamy. Backs: C Murray, T O’Leary, R O’Gara, I Keatley, S Deasy, D Barnes, W Chambers, S Zebo, L Mafi, Denis Hurley, J Murphy, T Gleeson.
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