Munster confirm Jack O'Donoghue will miss Champions Cup opener in Bath

Munster could be set to hand Samoan tighthead prop Michael Alaalatoa a debut at The Rec  following a move from ASM Clermont Auvergne

SIDELINED: Munster's Head of Medical Dr. Jamie Kearns escorts Jack O'Donoghue from the field on Saturday. Pic: Dan Sheridan, Inpho

Munster have confirmed they will be without senior back-rower Jack O’Donoghue for this Saturday’s Champions Cup pool opener away to Bath.

O’Donoghue failed a Head Injury Assessment after making contact with a Stormers knee during Saturday’s home defeat and has entered the mandatory return to play protocols which mean he will miss the trip to Johann van Graan’s English champions at The Rec (8pm).

Head coach Clayton McMillan has no fresh injury concerns following the 27-21 loss at Thomond Park, when Munster were handed their first defeat under his command and the Stormers extended their unbeaten start to six wins from six.

Munster could be set to hand Samoan Test tighthead prop Michael Alaalatoa a debut at The Rec on Saturday after the former Leinster front-rower arrived at the province’s High Performance Centre at the University of Limerick on Monday following a move from ASM Clermont Auvergne. 

McMillan has been relying on veteran John Ryan backed up by academy prop Ronan Foxe at tighthead in recent weeks and the pair came under intense pressure from the Stormers scrum in their Round Six clash. Oli Jager is sidelined indefinitely with a head injury and Roman Salanoa is being nursed back from a serious knee injury with a January comeback in his sights, although a fit-again Conor Bartley featured for Young Munster in their Energia AIL 1A derby defeat to Cork Constitution on Saturday. That game featured 10 Munster players from a total of 19 from McMillan’s squad on club duty at the weekend.