Penney has no date for O’Connell’s return

The date of Paul O’Connell’s return to competitive rugby is still unknown after Munster head coach Rob Penney admitted he did not know when the Ireland and Lions lock would be ready.

O’Connell, 32, was believed to be on course for a first game since May 5 when he aggravated a knee injury against Ulster, against the same team at Ravenhill on September 14 in round three of the RaboDirect Pro12.

Yet, a week after team manager Niall O’Donovan declared O’Connell “on schedule for Rabo 3”, the second row was a spectator in Limerick yesterday as Munster trained for tomorrow’s game against Treviso at Thomond Park.

Asked about O’Connell’s absence from training and a possible return date, Penney said: “We don’t know. He’ll be ready when he’s ready. He’s under no pressure and we’re under no pressure to get him right. There are a number of boys in that bracket but Paulie will let us know when he’s ready to go and we’ll react to that. He is probably not doing all the rugby stuff yet but at times he is close.”

Nor is there a clear indication on the extent of utility back Johne Murphy’s ankle injury, suffered in club action for Young Munster last Friday, when he limped off after 20 minutes of their Limerick Charity Cup semi-final win over Garryowen.

“Johne is still pretty sore from the weekend,” Penney said. “I haven’t had a full download from the medics yet but we don’t expect him back tomorrow or next week. But he won’t be too, too far away.”

Better news for flanker Niall Ronan though, out since January following knee surgery, as he was cleared for a return with Shannon this weekend.

Penney said: “He has had a wretched run and a couple of little set backs along the way, but he looks like he is in a really good space and it looks like he is ready to go, which is exciting for all of us.”

Meanwhile Munster’s Heineken Cup pool match at Saracens is set for Vicarage Road, Watford, the north London club has announced. There had been speculation that ambitious Saracens were planning on staging the tie at Wembley Stadium, as they had done in the past two seasons when hosting pool games with Leinster and Ospreys.

Yet having already switched one home pool game, with Racing Metro, to Brussels, Sarries have decided to keep their other group encounters at the 18,214-capacity stadium shared with Watford FC. Munster, who open their pool campaign with a trip to Stade de France to face Racing Metro on October 13, visit Vicarage Road on Sunday, December 16.