Donnacha Ryan set for quick Thomond return

Donnacha Ryan will join Ronan O’Gara as part of Racing 92’s contingent bidding to conquer fortress Thomond Park in Munster’s first home European fixture of the season, which was announced yesterday.

Munster won’t be without their own insider knowledge for that clash of familiar rivals at 5.30pm on Saturday, October 21, having signed second-row replacement for Ryan Gerbrandt Grobler and scrum-half James Hart from Racing.

That all comes six days after Munster return from France, having faced Castres Olympique at the 11,500-capacity Stade Pierre-Antoine for their Champions Cup opener (Sunday, October 15 at 1pm, Irish time). However, that will be the only unfamiliar assignment for last year’s semi-finalists, with Leicester Tigers once again the back-to-back December opponents for Munster.