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.