Injured Cloete will be ‘massive loss’ to Munster

Johann van Graan has acknowledged the “massive loss” of Chris Cloete to the Munster cause after the openside flanker was ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on a forearm fracture.

Cloete suffered the break during Munster’s Guinness PRO14 victory over Glasgow Warriors in Cork on Friday night and underwent surgery the next morning, with head coach van Graan confirming yesterday that the back-rower’s season looked to be at an end.

His absence has been tempered by the return from a shoulder injury of fellow openside Tommy O’Donnell, as well as the stellar form of Conor Oliver, as Munster face a difficult trip to Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Friday evening.