Alaalatoa brings 'international experience' as concerns linger over Jager and Salanoa

“So there's not a lot of available tightheads available around the world. But we have continued our search just to give us, I guess, some insurance… "

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025 - 01:00

Simon Lewis

Ireland’s front row will need no reminder of the brutal importance of world-class props after last Saturday’s schooling by South Africa’s scrum and Clayton McMillan feels fortunate to have added Samoa’s Michael Alaalatoa to the Munster roster from next week given their scarcity in world rugby.

Former Leinster tighthead Alaalatoa’s arrival from Clermont ahead of the Champions Cup pool opener at Bath is the result of the Munster head coach’s search for Test-level “insurance” in a position where his squad is currently stretched. John Ryan starts at tighthead on Saturday in the top of the table URC clash with the Stormers at Thomond Park, with academy prop Ronan Foxe in reserve. Loosehead Kieran Ryan is being adapted to the other side of the scrum with former UCC clubman Conor Bartley having only just returned from injury while Munster are playing the long game to get senior men Oli Jager (head) and Roman Salanoa (knee) back to full fitness.

"We haven't had a lot of luck there,” McMillan said on Thursday after naming his team to face the only other unbeaten side in the URC in a round six meeting in Limerick.

“So there's not a lot of available tightheads available around the world. But we have continued our search just to give us, I guess, some insurance…

“What Michael does is he comes in and he gives us that international experience, experience here already in Ireland. He was available. He wanted to come here and he understands he's got to come in and fight for an opportunity to play.

“So there's a lot to like about him coming in and ultimately it's about protecting us against further injuries moving forward.”

McMillan admitted Alaalatoa’s signing on a seven-month contract reflected concerns over the comebacks for both Jager, whose latest concussion was against Edinburgh on October 10, and Salanoa, whose comeback from knee surgery following the URC final victory over the Stormers in May 2023 has been restricted to AIL runs with Nenagh Ormond and a Munster A game.

“Oli's actually tracked really well. He's been back at training the last two weeks that we've been in. The last step in his process was to go and see a specialist that deals with concussion. He's been and done that.

“He's only just arrived back in the building (on Thursday), so yet to catch up and get the full download around what that looks like. But given his history, we just aren't prepared to risk him until everyone is absolutely certain that we're not putting him at any further risk.

“If that means that he's out for another week or another month, so be it. We would never put anybody in any position at risk. It's just not worth it.

“Then with Roman… he was sent down the road to the (IRFU) national headquarters just to get some specialist one-on-one care down there to help accelerate his return to play.

“The feedback we've had has been exceptionally positive, so we anticipate he will remain there until after the Christmas break. He'll come back and resume training with us and all things going well, we’re hope he might be able to get back out on the rugby field at the back end of January.

“We would love it if they were all available to us tomorrow for next week, but injuries happen and we always put player welfare first. I think those two guys are an example of what we are prepared to do to give people the best chance to get back out on the rugby field in the best possible shape they can be.

“We'll just continue to roll with the cards and the dice as they fall and put the best team we can out. This week, it's John Ryan, who has been a stalwart for Munster for a long period of time, and the young fella Ronan Foxe gets another opportunity. He's been growing and growing just that little bit every time he gets out there. So for all the disappointment that you have, there's some upside in those other guys getting minutes as well.”

For all the travails at tighthead, McMillan played a strong hand on Thursday when naming his team to face the Stormers, level on match points at the summit but ahead on points difference after five rounds.

Returning Ireland internationals Tom Ahern, Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley and Tom Farrell all start while there four players making comebacks from injury in the matchday 23 with Thaakir Abrahams and Diarmuid Barron starting and Edwin Edogbo, John Hodnett and Niall Scannell named on the bench.

MUNSTER (v Stormers): S Daly; D Kilgallen, T Farrell, A Nankivell, T Abrahams; J Crowley, C Casey; J Loughman, D Barron, J Ryan; T Ahern, F Wycherley; T Beirne - captain, J O’Donoghue, G Coombes.

Replacements: N Scannell, M Milne, R Foxe, E Edogbo, J Hodnett, E Coughlan, T Butler, D Kelly.