Munster drawing up Toulouse battle plan without Beirne or Conway

With Kilcoyne joining the list of absentees, defence coach Ferreira says Reds are acting as if key Ireland duo will also miss Euro clash

Taxing national duty: Tadhg Beirne, right, and Andrew Conway haven't appeared for Munster since returning injured from Ireland's Six Nations campaign. Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Munster are planning to take on Toulouse without Ireland duo Andrew Conway and Tadhg Beirne when they face the European champions in Dublin a week on Saturday.

Head coach Johann van Graan is already resigned to making do without first-choice No.8 Gavin Coombes for the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final at Aviva Stadium and the province revealed on Tuesday that Ireland loosehead prop Dave Kilcoyne will be missing for the rest of the season after deciding the neck injury he sustained against Scotland on March 19 will require surgery this week, ruling him out for up to 12 weeks.