Munster welcome Crowley, Barron, Scannell and Loughman back for Sharks quarter-final

TRAVELLING SQUAD: Munster are heading to Durban boosted by the presences of a quintet of fit-again frontline players on the plane to South Africa ahead of Saturday’s URC quarter-final at the Sharks. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Munster are heading to Durban boosted by the presences of a quartet of fit-again frontline players on the plane to South Africa ahead of Saturday’s URC quarter-final at the Sharks.

Fly-half Jack Crowley, and hookers Diarmuid Barron and Niall Scannell have each been passed fit to travel on Monday and have been joined by loosehead prop Jeremy Loughman in a 32-player travelling squad led by captain Tadhg Beirne.

Munster booked their place in the URC play-offs with a final-round, 30-21 victory over Benetton in Cork on May 16, when interim head coach Ian Costello had the luxury of selecting an unchanged matchday 23 form the previous weekend’s 38-20 Thomond Park derby win over Ulster.

Those back-to-back bonus-point successes secured sixth place in the final regular season standings and booked a trip to third seeds the Sharks and Munster’s hand has been strengthened by those reinforcements among the travelling party.

Crowley and Scannell started the Benetton game but the Ireland playmaker played through a bang to the ribs which forced him to pass goal-kicking duties onto half-back partner Craig Casey before he was finally withdrawn on 75 minutes. Scannell, meanwhile was withdrawn for a Head Injury Assessment after 33 minutes but also been passed fit for the Kings Park mission.

Diarmuid Barron missed the last two rounds with a shoulder injury but travelled south as one of three hookers alongside Scannell and new signing Lee Barron, who impressed coming off the bench with a try-scoring performance.

Loughman’s return comes after a lengthier absence. The loosehead prop’s hamstring injury sustained in the Champions Cup knockout win at La Rochelle on April 5 prompted Munster to bring forward Michael Milne’s arrival on loan from Leinster alongside Lee Barron ahead of their permanent summer moves. Milne has also impressed on his arrival and Loughman’s return gives Costello a strong suite of front-row forwards ahead of a potential battle royal with a heavyweight Test-level Sharks front row.

There was also a positive update on Edwin Edogbo, who had been sidelined since December 2023 with an Achilles tendon injury, though the Cobh lock was not named in the travelling squad. The 22-year-old made a successful return in Munster A’s win over Connacht Eagles in Cork, also on May 16, but the province on Monday said: “his return will continue to be managed as he recovers from a long-term injury”.

Tighthead props Oli Jager (head) and Roman Salanoa (knee), scrum-half Ethan Coughlan (hamstring), fly-half Billy Burns (shoulder), and back-three player Shane Daly (hamstring) remain on the Munster rehab list.

Munster Travelling Squad For URC Quarter-Final 

Forwards: Tom Ahern, Stephen Archer, Diarmuid Barron, Lee Barron, Tadhg Beirne, Gavin Coombes, Ronan Foxe, John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Jean Kleyn, Jeremy Loughman, Michael Milne, Jack O'Donoghue, Peter O'Mahony, John Ryan, Niall Scannell, Fineen Wycherley, Josh Wycherley.

Backs: Thaakir Abrahams, Tony Butler, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Tom Farrell, Mike Haley, Diarmuid Kilgallen, Conor Murray, Alex Nankivell, Calvin Nash, Seán O'Brien, Paddy Patterson, Rory Scannell, Andrew Smith.