Blow for Munster as Mike Haley and Roman Salanoa ruled out until new year

RULED OUT: Munster's Mike Haley has been ruled out until the new year through injury. Pic: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Munster have confirmed that full back Mike Haley and prop forward Roman Salanoa won't be back in action until the new year due to injury.

The province are stepping up their preparations for the new season with a pre-season clash with Leinster in Musgrave Park on Friday (kick-off 6pm).

Haley has undergone surgery for a hip complaint while Salanoa underwent knee surgery at the end of last season. The URC champions say neither are expected back until 2024.

Scrum-half Paddy Patterson will also be unavailable as he continues to rehab his knee injury and is expected to return to training in November.

Liam Coombes (thigh), Jack O’Sullivan (knee), and Patrick Campbell (ankle) are all undergoing rehab and will also miss the opening rounds of the URC campaign.

In better news on the injury front, Antoine Frisch and Joey Carbery are back training and while they will miss the Leinster game, they will be available for the pre-season clash with Connacht in Galway on Friday, September 22.

Long-term absentees Andrew Conway and Jack Daly have both returned to team training after knee injuries while new signing Seán O'Brien is expected to be fit for the opening rounds of the URC as he rehabs a thigh injury.

Meanwhile, Cian Hurley, who made the step up from the academy over the summer, is continuing to rehab from last season’s Achilles/ankle surgery and is not expected back until the new year.