Munster lose Craig Casey, Thaakir Abrahams and Jean Kleyn to injury for four months

INJURY BLOWS: Munster’s Craig Casey receives treatment before going off with an injury. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Denis Leamy has declared Munster’s determination to show some “resilience” in the face of a lengthy injury list as they face up to a Christmas meeting with a Leinster team he described as “brilliantly boring”.

Munster currently have no less than 20 players on this week’s injury update with three players – Thaakir Abrahams (shoulder), Craig Casey (knee) and Jean Kleyn (thigh) – all confirmed on Monday as being ruled out for the next four months.

If those are the most brutal of blows for the players and the organization then there is much more to be absorbed starting with centre Alex Nankivell who is going for a scan to determine the extent of the hamstring injury he suffered in the win away to Ulster on Friday.

Dave Kilcoyne, not long back from another fitness absence, injured his thigh against Ulster and Scott Buckley injured his calf in action for Munster ‘A’ against Ulster ‘A’ at the weekend. Both are due to go for scans and are unavailable for Leinster’s visit.

Dian Bleuler, the short-term loan prop from South Africa, is completing his return to play protocols and his availability will be determined later in the week.

Diarmuid Barron (chest), Peter O’Mahony (calf contusion) and Conor Murray (elbow) are all “progressing” with their availability to be determined later in the week.

None of which includes the long list of players “continuing their rehab”.

Foer the record, that list goes as follows: Liam Coombes (chest), Seán O’Brien (leg), Diarmuid Kilgallen (wrist), Jeremy Loughman (hip), Josh Wycherley (neck), Mark Donnelly (ankle), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee).

“Yeah. It's very disappointing,” said Leamy when asked about Abrahams, Casey and Kleyn specifically.

“And, look, it seems like we've had more than our fair share of injuries over the last year to 18 months. But, look, it's nothing that we're not used to and we've been in this position before.

“It's very disappointing for the boys, but, look, we have a very good medical team, we have a really good S&C team and hopefully we'll get them back on the track as quickly as we can. But it's next man up and on we go, and, we got to show some sort of resilience around us.”

Leinster have won on their last five visits to Thomond Park and they have won all ten of their games so far this season across URC and Champions Cup. Leamy will need little instruction as to the threat they pose.

Now defence coach with his native Munster, the Tipperary man spent three years in coaching roles with the old enemy before returning to his old haunt and his take on the current Leinster side makes for interesting reading.

“It was a brilliant environment, and I worked very closely with brilliant coaches and brilliant managers. And I was very lucky to do so, but I think it's very different from what I can see over the last 12 months. There's definitely a big change in mindset from what I can see.

“They are, how would I say, brilliantly boring, and I say that giving them a lot of credit and admiration. But, you know, they kick the ball almost more than any other team in the league. They play territory more than any other team in the league.

“They're just brutal then when they get into your score zone. They’ve got this power-based game now that is really, really strong, and how you deny them access to that is the key thing. They back their defence, they back their kicking game.

“They don't try to do too much in terms of overplaying, and they just strangle it, put you down into the 22, and then there's big powerful men running down on top of you. And they're a handful.”