Munster hopeful on Carbery return before new year

Joey Carbery’s likely return from an ankle injury before the end of the year will be good news for Ireland in the absence of Johnny Sexton but Munster will have to plan without him and a handful of others for this Saturday’s trip to Saracens.

With reports Sexton will miss at least the start of the 2020 Six Nations, news of Carbery’s pending recovery from the injury he suffered in August and carried through the World Cup will be a relief to new head coach Andy Farrell, whose tenure begins at home to Scotland on February 1.

Yet Munster must continue without both Carbery and fellow playmaker Tyler Bleyendaal as they bid to keep their Champions Cup campaign alive for another week when they visit Saracens.

Head coach Johann van Graan has grown used to planning without Carbery, who played only a fleeting role in Munster’s knockout journey last season and has not played since returning hurt from the World Cup.

“We hope to have Joey back before the end of the month and I just want to reiterate that he hasn’t been into anything close to team training,” van Graan said yesterday.

I think that is going to be the next thing. I’d love to pick him as soon as he comes back but it’s going to take time.

"After last season, from our point of view, he was injured for a long time and we started him in that quarter-final against Edinburgh, (then he) was out and then we started him again against Leinster but specifically your 10 needs time, so hopefully as soon as possible but hopefully before the end of the month but I have got no specific date.”

Munster have Chris Cloete available again following a post-concussion lay-off but fellow South African back-rower Arno Botha will face a disciplinary hearing today following his red card against Saracens last Saturday and van Graan will wait on the outcome before assessing his back-row options.