O’Connell loses Heineken Cup fitness race

Paul O’Connell has lost his battle with injury to miss out on the Munster 26-man squad for the Heineken Cup Semi Final against Biarritz in San Sebastian on Sunday.

The captaincy will pass on to Ireland fly-half Ronan O’Gara in what is a massive blow to Munster’s hopes of making their fifth final.

However, Jean de Villiers, Doug Howlett, Keith Earls and Ian Dowling have all recovered from injury to leave coach Tony McGahan with a lot of options in the backs.

MUNSTER SQUAD (v Biarritz): Marcus Horan, Tony Buckley, Julien Brugnaut, John Hayes, Damien Varley, Jerry Flannery, Mick O'Driscoll, Billy Holland, Donncha O'Callaghan, Alan Quinlan, David Wallace, Nick Williams, James Coughlan, Niall Ronan, Tomas O'Leary, Peter Stringer, Ronan O'Gara, Paul Warwick, Lifeimi Mafi, Jean de Villiers, Tom Gleeson, Doug Howlett, Denis Hurley, Ian Dowling, Keith Earls, Scott Deasy.