O'Mahony likely to return in time for Exeter Chiefs clash

23-year-old lock Tom Ahern has started as O’Mahony’s stand-in at blindside flanker in the last two games against Leinster and Glasgow.

EYEING UP HIS RETURN: Peter O'Mahony. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Munster are looking forward to the return of Peter O’Mahony to their ranks for the Champions Cup round two trip to Exeter Chiefs in 12 days but will open their pool campaign with the utmost confidence in their young forwards currently holding the fort in the absence of key senior players.

The URC champions renew their quest for a third European title at Thomond Park this Saturday evening when they kick off their Pool 3 campaign against competition newcomers Bayonne without the services of injured forwards O’Mahony, and World Cup-winning duo RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn.

That trio, all absent for the start of the new season on World Cup duty with Ireland or South Africa, has managed just 108 minutes of rugby for the province since their returns from France. 

Kleyn injured an eye on his comeback against Leinster on November 25 while O’Mahony, who has since stepped down as captain after a decade in the role, damaged his shoulder the previous week against the Stormers.

Academy lock Edwin Edogbo has started six of Munster’s seven URC games this season while 23-year-old lock Tom Ahern has featured in each of them, starting as O’Mahony’s stand-in at blindside flanker in the last two games against Leinster and Glasgow. 

Ahern’s two tries in last Friday night’s 40-29 win over Glasgow doubled his tally for the season and assistant coach Mike Prendergast was quick to refer to both players’ contributions to the cause when asked about O’Mahony’s imminent return to action.

“He’s turned a good corner and we’re hopeful he could be back for next week, yeah, which will be great,” Prendergast said of O’Mahony on Tuesday.

“We’ll start getting some of the cavalry back over the next few weeks and months, which will be good but between now and then some of those younger lads are really stepping up and taking their opportunities. They don’t look out of place, which is brilliant.

“Tom was injured a fair bit last year but Edwin got a nice bit of exposure early then, and Alex Kendellen who’s young enough as well. 

"They’re different kind of profiles for back-five players. Tadhg (Beirne) has the ability to play second row, back row and the two World Cup winners are there as well and it’s something to look forward to them coming back as well.” 

Ahern played in three Champions Cup knockout games in April 2022, both round-of-16 ties against Exeter and the quarter-final against Toulouse but lost much of last season to a shoulder injury, while Edogbo, still only 20, is primed for a competition debut this Saturday in Liomerick.

Asked if he felt any of the young players exposed to regular senior rugby this season were ready to take the next step in the Champions Cup, Prendergast told the Irish Examiner: “We’ll find out this weekend, or next weekend. You look at the last two games, I think there were two good games to play in. We were playing Leinster and shouting three-quarters of them on playing with Ireland not too long ago so that’s the standard of team they are.

“And then to play Glasgow, who were league leaders up to last week, they were good games to have heading into Europe and some of those younger leaders were the names on the top of everybody’s lips after the game and that’s always a good sign.

“Graham (Rowntree) has always said ‘if you’re good enough, you’re old enough’, that age is something that doesn’t throw us. If we see what we see on the training ground and we can transfer that over into performances, players-wise, we’ll back the players absolutely.” 

Munster have also welcomed back to training back-three players Simon Zebo and Pat Campbell from injury while back-rower Jack O’Donoghue is also back in the selection mix for this weekend.