Laulala and Ryan silver lining after O’Mahony cloud

In terms of injuries, it’s a mixed bag for Munster as the business end of the season approaches.

Skipper Peter O’Mahony could well face surgery for his injured shoulder, as early as today perhaps, but head coach Rob Penney has received good news in relation to Casey Laulala and Donnacha Ryan.

Needing as many experienced hands on deck as possible in the run-in to the RaboDirect Pro12 and in advance of a Heineken Cup semi-final, Penney is confident Laulala (hand) and Ryan (foot) will both be available.

Penney admitted yesterday that the news on O’Mahony wasn’t great but said: “We won’t know until today but that’s footie. You can say that about anyone who gets an injury, it’s tragic but we will see what happens in the next 24 hours and see how bad it is. We will react to the outcome of the medical reports and the professional reports.”

But Laulala is in a better situation for sure, with Penney saying: “Casey is in plaster for 10 days but should be right in a couple of weeks for the semi-final. You have always got to be very cautious when you get the news from the medics when you hear that there is a potential fracture. But the news we also got was that it was very similar to what James Downey suffered last year at a similar time and James was able to come through and had no repercussions from his issues.”

And in relation to Ryan being available for the semi-final on April 27, Penney said he was “very hopeful” the experienced second/back-row forward would be ready to go.

Munster, insisted Penney, were not even thinking about the big match at the end of the month, however. Glasgow is next up and victory is essential to help them secure a home semi-final in the RaboDirect.

Inevitably, Penney was tuned in to watch Toulon, their semi-final opponents, in action against Leinster on Sunday, but he claims to have been distracted.

“I had a look at the game but, to be fair, I was buried in Glasgow. I watched the game, they are a great side but I’m focused on Glasgow at the moment. I don’t mean to be rude but I haven’t spent too much time on Toulon yet.

Meanwhile, as Penney contemplates his end of season move to Japan, the assistant coach Simon Mannix is to join French club Pau, and the Munster head coach reckons he will be a star turn there.

“He’s done a wonderful job here, he’s really brought an element, he deserves a lot of credit for the performance the other day and the way in which some of our phase-play and some of our unstructured play is happening.

“I’ll be disappointed to not be coaching with him but that’s life and it’s great that he’s been able to secure a wonderful position, a position that has a lot of potential in France and they’re lucky to have him.”