Hodnett and Zebo to miss Munster's historic Crusaders meeting

Scrum-half Paddy Patterson will also miss the Páirc Uí Chaoimh clash.

ZEEBS OUT: Munster’s Simon Zebo receives treatment for an injury. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

John Hodnett, Paddy Patterson and Simon Zebo have all been ruled out of Munster’s historic clash with Crusaders at Cork’s Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday evening.

The URC champions were already planning without Ireland’s Six Nations squad members, with Peter O’Mahony set to captain the Grand Slam winners against France in Marseille the previous night and head coach Graham Rowntree has now been dealt a further blow for the marquee match against the Super Rugby titleholders, set for a sell-out capacity crowd of 40,885 on Leeside.

Openside flanker Hodnett, one of Munster’s standout performers in a difficult season so far faces eight to 10 weeks on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on a finger last week. 

Full-back Zebo could also be set for some time away after limping out of the Champions Cup home loss to Northampton Saints on January 20.

Zebo had been in rich form after finally getting regular gametime at full-back following an injury hit second spell with his home province but he had an MRI scan on a knee injury last week, in unavailable this weekend and is scheduled to see a specialist next week to review his treatment options.

There was further bad news from Munster on Tuesday when scrum-half Patterson was ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury which will require surgery next week.

With both Conor Murray and Craig Casey on Ireland duty for the next six weeks, Munster have moved swiftly to shore up their resources at number nine, extending Neil Cronin’s contract to the end of March and also signing UCC’s former Ireland U20 international Andrew O’Mahony on a two-month contract.

O’Mahony, 20, has played once for Munster A this season and started all 12 of UCC’s AIL Division 1B matches in the 2023-24 campaign.

As for selection to face Rob Penney’s Crusaders, Munster are waiting to determine the availability of lock/flanker Tom Ahern following his concussion against Saints, an injury that cost him a place at Ireland’s training camp in Portugal this week. 

Ahern is following the return to play protocols.

There was some good news for Rowntree with full-back Mike Haley returning to full training this week following the hip injury he sustained in pre-season while back-five forward Cian Hurley is increasing his training load following a lengthy lay-off with ankle and Achilles tendon trouble. 

The 23-year-old is earmarked to return to play in the coming weeks, Munster said.

Munster remain without Diarmuid Barron (foot), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Jean Kleyn (eye/knee), Jack O’Donoghue (knee), Roman Salanoa (knee), and RG Snyman (chest/shoulder).