First choice Munster centre pairing could be reunited for URC semi-final

Munster reported no fresh concerns following their URC quarter-final win over Ospreys.

REUNITED: Munster’s Antoine Frisch celebrates scoring a try with Alex Nankivell during a Champions Cups clash with Northampton Saints. Picture: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Alex Nankivell is closing in on a return for Munster following an ankle injury as the URC defending champions prepare for their play-off semi-final against Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park on Saturday.

The centre, who signed last summer from Super Rugby’s Chiefs, missed the derby win over Ulster in the final round of the regular season on June 1, when Munster were also without his regular centre partner Antoine Frisch, and also last Friday’s quarter-final victory over Ospreys.

Head coach Graham Rowntree fielded a new combination of Rory Scannell and Sean O’Brien for the Ulster game but then lost Scannell to a serious ankle injury which will require surgery this week.

Frisch returned from his leg injury to outside centre and partnered O’Brien in the 23-7 win over Ospreys and now the New Zealander’s comeback from his ankle issue sustained at Edinburgh in the penultimate round could see the first-choice pairing reunited for the rematch with last season’s quarter-final victims.

Nankivell will increase his training load with a decision on his availability to be made later in the week ahead of Friday’s team announcement but Rowntree was upbeat last Saturday on his centre’s prospects of facing fourth-seeded Glasgow. 

The Munster boss described the former Maori All Black as charging around in the rehab training group last week and added: “I've been keeping an eye on Nanks. So potentially Nanks, sorry, probably Nanks will be back in the mix.” 

Munster on Monday reported no fresh concerns following their quarter-final win at Thomond Park and announced that they had seen “huge demands” for tickets for this Saturday evening’s last-four clash in Limerick.

Munster said fly-half Joey Carbery will on Monday go for surgery on the thumb injury he sustained against Ulster ahead of his close-season move to Bordeaux-Begles while lock/flanker Tom Ahern will see a specialist with a view to surgery on the season-ending ankle injury he sustained in the same match.