Murray, Loughman and Jager available for Munster URC clash with Scarlets

The availability of the trio for the trip to west Wales will be much welcomed by Munster head coach Graham Rowntree.

Conor Murray will be available for the Scarlets game.

Ireland squad trio Conor Murray, Jeremy Loughman and Oli Jager will be available for Munster’s return to URC action at Scarlets this weekend after being released from Six Nations camp for Friday night’s game in Llanelli.

Of the three, only loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman was involved in Sunday’s 36-0 victory over Italy at Aviva Stadium with Test centurion scrum-half Murray rested as fellow Munsterman Craig Casey was handed an Ireland start, backed up by first-choice Jamison Gibson-Park.

Jager, who trained in Portugal ahead of the Six Nations opener in France, missed Munster’s historic Pairc Ui Chaoimh clash with his former club Crusaders on February 3 having returned from the Algarve with a slight knock but was recalled for the Italy match week, though the tighthead prop is still waiting for his Ireland debut.

With Casey, Jack Crowley, and Calvin Nash remaining in Andy Farrell’s squad having started against Italy and Tadhg Beirne and national captain Peter O’Mahony also retained for this week’s short training camp in Dublin, the availability of Jager, Loughman and Murray for the trip to west Wales will be much welcomed by Munster head coach Graham Rowntree.

South African lock RG Snyman may also be available for his first start of the season for the province having returned from the World Cup in France last October with a winners medal and a shoulder/neck injury. Rowntree said following the win over Crusaders that Snyman could be back to face the Scarlets but this match week could come too soon for the giant second row.

Munster also have back-rower Cian Hurley back in full team training after a 13 months on the sidelines with an Achilles/ankle injury but Simon Zebo and Roman Salanoa remain unavailable. Full-back Zebo does not require surgery on the knee injury he sustained against Northampton Saints on January 20 and is expected to increase his training load and rehab with the medical department this week, Munster said on Monday, adding there was no timeline on his return yet.

Tighthead Salanoa, meanwhile had surgery on a knee injury at the end of last season and had a further surgical procedure on Sunday.

Munster also announced on Monday a contract extension for back three player Colm Hogan, who made his debut against Crusaders. The former academy player’s short-term contract, initially signed in November following a spell in New Zealand with NPC team Tasman, will now run until the end of March.