Anthony Foley: Conor Murray doubtful for Leicester Tigers clash

With Peter O’Mahony out for the foreseeable future and Tommy O’Donnell a month or more away from a return to action, the last thing Munster need right now is the loss of another high-class player in the shape of Lions scrum-half Conor Murray, who has been ruled out of action with a bruised foot since the European Champions Cup game against Treviso on November 14.

But that’s the scenario facing coach Anthony Foley ahead of Sunday’s Guinness Pro12 clash with the Newport Gwent Dragons at Rodney Parade. And as that game falls only six days ahead of the Champions Cup clash with Leicester Tigers at Thomond Park, there has to be considerable doubt about Murray’s availability for such an important fixture.

“Conor only ran for the first time yesterday and had to rest up today,” reported head coach Anthony Foley. “With those kinds of injuries, it’s not so much how you feel when you run but after a night’s sleep if there is any swelling or any reaction. But he seems fine today.”

New Zealand centre Francis Saili is another ruled out of Sunday’s game, with Foley admitting that “as he is having a scan on his calf, I don’t imagine I’m going to get good news tomorrow, so I’m not holding out much hope. I haven’t picked a team yet so I’ll wait and see.”

BJ Botha took a bang to the head that caused his half-time replacement against Connacht last week and so is undergoing concussion return-to-play protocols and is likely to be rested for the Leicester game. Andrew Conway and Jack O’Donoghue are others in doubt because of illness.

The availability of the big-name players will focus the minds of most members of the Red Army but Foley refuses to contemplate going into Europe on the back of two defeats.

“We wouldn’t even think like that,” he stressed, in a tone that suggested he will not accept the very disappointing level of performance against Connacht, especially in the first half.

“We’re going to Dragons and we know it’s going to be difficult and attritional. It’s going to take a lot for us to go there and win, but I think is important after last Saturday that we go about doing that and people see that.”

Better news for Munster is that New Zealander Tyler Bleyendaal has recovered from a quad injury and is available for Sunday while there is general rejoicing in the camp that skipper CJ Stander has signed on for another two seasons.

“It’s a sign of the man, he has come over here lock, stock, and barrel and put everything in for us,” Foley enthused. “CJ has progressed very well over the past couple of seasons and he has really put a mark on Irish rugby at the moment. For him to commit to Munster rugby for two more seasons after this is good for everyone concerned. It’s a great boost for everyone involved in Munster that one of our best players is staying. I think it is something that lays down a marker for everyone else.”

The understandable levels of criticism that have been levelled at Munster after the loss to Connacht has made it what Foley described as “a tough few days. We didn’t get any possession in the first half and were lucky to be just five points behind at half-time We reversed the trend in the second half but then we gave away all those turnovers in their 22.

“It’s stuff like that, they say, are coach killers. When you look at the way we played in the second half, a lot of it was good but it gets brushed under the carpet because of the result and turnovers and stuff like that.”