Anthony Foley evades Ian Madigan talk to focus on Leicester Tigers

The prospect of Ian Madigan leaving Leinster for Munster may excite supporters in the southern province but head coach Anthony Foley believes both he and the player in question have more pressing concerns this week.

Foley yesterday was asked for his reaction to media speculation linking Ireland fly-half Madigan with a move away from his native Dublin to Munster as the IRFU bid to resist lucrative offers for the versatile playmaker’s services from Bristol and elsewhere.

And predictably it was a topic the Munster boss preferred not to address as both he and the Leinster camp prepare for crucial Champions Cup fixtures this weekend, with Leicester visiting Limerick on Saturday and defending champions Toulon lying in wait for Leo Cullen’s side at Stade Felix Mayol.

“I haven’t heard anything about that,” Foley said yesterday of the Madigan to Munster talk. “We’re open to every idea. I just think that it’s unfair on the club he’s at, the player himself, for stuff like that to be out there. I know it’s silly season at this time of the year anyway, for stuff to be heading out there.

“Players have to negotiate their contracts. Some will do it behind closed doors, some will do it in the media and some of them will have no control over what is in the media.

“I’m sure it’s the least of the issues they want this week. It’s something we’re not going to talk about in the open anyway. It’s about rugby for us to be honest with you, that’s the most important thing for us.”

A player with Madigan’s capabilities across the backline would be manna from heaven for Foley as he waits on fitness reports this morning on centre Francis Saili (calf strain) and scrum-halves Conor Murray (bruised foot bone) and Tomás O’Leary (back spasm) following yesterday’s training session in Limerick.

O’Leary sat out the session and New Zealander Saili continued with modified training having received the all-clear from a scan but Murray, lock Donnacha Ryan (ribs), prop BJ Botha (having completed return to play concussion protocols) and hooker Mike Sherry (knee) all took a full part.

Foley summed up all their positions regarding selection when asking for his best guess on Saili’s availability to face Leicester at Thomond Park on Saturday night.

“Like with any of our players, you can ask him how he did but he needs to go away, recover, get the adrenalin out of the body, have a sleep and wake up the following morning and find out whether it’s stiff or sore and see what he can do Thursday.”

Murray has been rested since being trodden on during the Champions Cup win over Treviso on November as Munster guarded against a fracture.

“Conor trained fully today but as I said about Francis we need to see how the foot reacts tomorrow. But looking at him today I’m happy that he’s not too far away. I’m very conscious of the fact you don’t know how he’s going to wake up. That’s the problem.”

• Thomond Park will welcome its one millionth European Cup supporter through the turnstiles at this Saturday’s Champions Cup game between Munster and Leicester.

The Limerick venue hosted Munster’s first European encounter in November 1995 against Swansea and it is fitting that the one millionth supporter will come through the turnstiles this Saturday, 20 years later.

With Munster featuring in Europe’s premier rugby competition for 21 seasons, Thomond Park has hosted 48 pool games and seven knockout games across 20 of those seasons.

In marking the occasion the Munster Rugby Ticket Office and Thomond Park will be identifying the one millionth supporter through the turnstiles on Saturday night and the lucky fan will win a pair of tickets to all of Munster’s home games for the next five seasons.