Munster likely to face Leinster without key forward duo

Forwards coach Andi Kyriacou had no new light to shed on the injury situation when speaking on Tuesday afternoon.

INJURY CLOUD: Munster's Peter O'Mahony receives medical attention. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Munster are still awaiting news on the fitness of forwards Peter O’Mahony and Jack O’Donoghue ahead of their URC interpro derby against Leinster at the Aviva Stadium this weekend.

O’Mahony suffered a shoulder injury during the first half of last Saturday’s 10-3 win over the Stormers in Limerick with O’Donoghue, his replacement, finishing the second-half despite injuring an ankle during the game.

Head coach Graham Rowntree expressed doubt afterwards that either of his back-rowers would be available for the next assignment and forwards coach Andi Kyriacou had no new light to shed on Tuesday afternoon.

”We don’t know,” he said of their status this weekend and beyond. Neither trained with the team on Tuesday which leaves it highly unlikely that they will make the first clash of these rivals since Munster’s surprise semi-final win at Lansdowne Road last May.

Jean Kleyn, after his part in South Africa’s World Cup win and subsequent celebrations, has been back in the High Performance building in UL since last Monday week and has now returned to full training since the weekend.

That leaves him available for duty in Dublin but Kyriacou suggested it would be that bit too soon for new signing Oli Jager who is yet to land on Irish soil from New Zealand and will need time to ‘get his feet underneath him’.

Jager is 28 years old now, has won five Super Rugby titles with the Crusaders, and Kyriacou is banking on the former Newbridge and Blackrock schoolboy and Ireland underage international bringing that experience to bear in Munster.

“It’s great, he is going to really complement the squad well. He has been involved with a top outfit for the past seven or eight years. Something like that, and he has had success with them as well.

“He is going to bring that knowledge and understanding of what it means to back up a performance through a campaign and come out of playoffs successfully as well. We’re delighted to have him on deck and to see what he is going to bring.”