Munster resigned to departure of Dian Bleuler

Peter O'Mahony could return for Munster's clash with Northampton.

Munster’s Dian Bleuler scores a try in the Champions Cup against Saracens. Picture: ©INPHO/Billy Stickland

Munster are resigned to losing Dian Bleuler back to parent club the Sharks when the loosehead prop’s short-term contract expires at the end of the month.

The South African joined the province as emergency injury cover in November with a quartet of Munster looseheads injured. Dave Kilcoyne, Jeremy Loughman, Josh Wycherley and Mark Donnelly remain sidelined but having gained special dispensation to sign Bleuler from IRFU performance director David Humphreys despite his moratorium on the provinces signing non-Irish qualified (NIQ) front rowers, the Sharks are now insisting on his return.

Bleuler’s value to Munster during a difficult period with injuries was underlined on Saturday night as he scored their opening try in the 17-12 Champions Cup pool win over Saracens, before leaving the field on 65 minutes to a standing ovation.

Yet interim head coach Ian Costello explained there was no possibility of extending the 25-year-old’s stay with this Saturday’s pool finale at Northampton Saints likely to be his sixth and final start in red.

“He is here for a set period and there isn’t any scope to extend beyond that,” Costello said. “That is the agreement that we went in with at the start.

“The IRFU through David Humphreys were unbelievably accommodating at the start in terms of facilitating that process but we always knew there was an end date which we will share with everybody in the next week. He well be here next week. He will be playing against Northampton.” 

Munster had welcomed back scrum-half Conor Murray, hooker Diarmuid Barron and back-rower Jack O’Donoghue from the treatment table to face Saracens on Saturday while wing Diarmuid Kilgallen returned to full training last week. 

Costello suggested talisman and former captain Peter O’Mahony would be back in the selection mix for the trip to England after a month sidelined by a calf contusion sustained by a stray stud at Castres on December 13.

“I think the squad felt we were a lot more competitive this week,” Costello said. “To get five players back, Peter was touch and go and he will be 'go' next week, and maybe one or two others in the mix, that really helps.”