Munster veteran prop Kilcoyne out for the season with shoulder injury

Dave Kilcoyne of Munster leaves the pitch with an injury.

Dave Kilcoyne faces at least six months on the sidelines having undergone surgery on a shoulder injury that will rule the Munster and Ireland prop out for the rest of the season.

The bad news for the Irish World Cup loosehead came on Thursday, nine days following his injury sustained at home to Leinster on St Stephen’s night as his province issued a grim squad update following another attritional outing that ended in defeat on New Year’s Day at Connacht.

Munster went into that URC derby in Galway, which they lost 22-9, missing at least 15 senior players due to injury and others being rested due to IRFU player welfare guidelines and then lost Fineen Wycherley and Eoghan Clarke before kick-off before fellow forwards Oli Jager and Jack O’Donoghue left The Sportsground field on stretcher carts.

Munster could have new signing Jager back for the Champions Cup trip to Toulon on Saturday week while head coach Graham Rowntree said on January 1 that fly-half Joey Carbery, out since October with a wrist injury had a chance of making the plane for southern France, but uncertainty remains over a clutch of other key players for the key pool game at Stade Felix Mayol.

Jager is following the graduated return to play protocols after being removed following a head injury in the first half against Connacht while hooker Clarke, a short-term signing who had been set for his first Munster start four days ago, is also following the same protocols.

Wycherley, who had also been named to start in Galway, failed to recover from the shoulder injury which has ruled him out since the middle of last month, was reported by Munster to be in line for a return to training shortly.

Yet back-rower O’Donoghue, the victim of a first-half cleanout that resulted in a yellow card for Connacht wing Byron Ralston, is set to go for a scan and surgical opinion on the knee injury he sustained.

Kilcoyne underwent surgery on Thursday while academy lock Edwin Edogbo is scheduled to undergo surgery on his Achilles tendon next week having also been injured against Leinster. That was a game which also proved detrimental to hooker Diarmuid Barron, who will go for surgery on a foot injury next Monday with his return to be determined following his procedure.

Maori All Black centre Alex Nankivell, a summer signing from Super Rugby’s Chiefs, was also hurt in the home loss to Leinster on December 26 but is rehabilitating his ankle injury and the Kiwi’s availability will be determined next week ahead of the trip to Toulon.

Former captain Peter O’Mahony (shoulder), and World Cup-winning locks Jean Kleyn (eye) and RG Snyman (chest/shoulder) remain on a long list of Munster players described as “continuing to rehab”. They also include full-back Patrick Campbell (shoulder), back-rower Jack Daly (ankle), outside back Liam Coombes (shoulder), hooker Niall Scannell (groin), tighthead prop Roman Salanoa (knee), full-back Mike Haley (hip), and lock Cian Hurley (ankle/Achilles).

Carbery also remains on that list although Rowntree last Monday said of the fly-half: “Joey will be available I’d say, by the end of the month. We could get him back a bit earlier, for Toulon but we’re looking at Saints at the moment.”