Rory Scannell cool as Munster bid to end losing streak

Munster are going through a horrific run of bad luck with injuries and suspensions, nowhere more than in the centre, where Rory Scannell has been close to a one-man band for much of the past couple of months.

When the season began, it looked like he would have a battle on his hands to hold on to the number 12 jersey, with Jaco Taute and the newly- arrived Chris Farrell offering serious opposition and the likes of Dan Goggin and Sammy Arnold also in the running.

One by one, though, they all fell by the wayside until it looked for a time that only Scannell would be standing his ground going into tomorrow’s Guinness PRO14 clash with Connacht at Thomond Park.