Rowntree hopeful of Nankivell return for Aviva tussle with Leinster

Munster boss Rowntree is waiting for medical updates on a quartet of newly injured frontliners.

Mon, 07 Oct, 2024 - 01:00

Simon Lewis

Munster boss Graham Rowntree is hopeful he will be able to welcome back centre Alex Nankivell for this Saturday’s Croke Park URC derby clash with Leinster as he waits for medical updates on a quartet of newly injured frontliners.

Tighthead prop Oli Jager and veteran flanker Peter O’Mahony failed to finish the first half of Munster’s impressive 23-0 victory over Ospreys in the midst of storm in Cork last Saturday evening while full-back Mike Haley and then wing Calvin Nash were withdrawn ahead of schedule after the interval.

Munster also lost the services of backline duo Thaakir Abrahams and Shane Daly in the previous weekend’s defeat at Zebre Parma while there are eight of Rowntree’s squad on duty in South Africa with Emerging Ireland, as well as a string of longer-term injury absentees.

Of the three most-likely returnees, fly-half Billy Burns, loosehead prop veteran Dave Kilcoyne and New Zealander Nankivell, Rowntree said he has most hope in the latter passing fit to face the unbeaten league leaders in this Saturday’s first versus third URC meeting.

"Billy, Killer, Nanks...Nanks is the most promising out of those,” the head coach said following the bonus-point victory at Virgin Media Park.

As for the weekend’s fresh casualties, Rowntree added: "I'll wait until Monday; it's another week, another couple of injuries in the first half.

"We're struck at the moment, it happens, there's an ebb and a flow to every season in terms of injuries and we're a bit skinny at the moment, but we'll get through it."

Concerns over Haley and Nash add to the back-three injury crisis alongside Abrahams, Daly, Patrick Campbell, Liam Coombes and Diarmuid Kilgallen.

With Ben O’Connor and Sean O’Brien currently in Bloemfontein with one tour game remaining against the Cheetahs this Wednesday, the Munster boss did not rule out the possibility of requesting the release of some of his Emerging Ireland tour contingent.

"Potentially, yeah. I don't think we'll be the only province looking at that.”