'Silver linings' for McMillan as Milne likely to be fit for Páirc Uí Chaoimh

The loosehead prop picked up a knock in the warm-up in Bath.

Michael Milne during Munster training last week. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie

Clayton McMillan is confident Michael Milne will shake off the knee injury he sustained in the warm-up at Bath to take his place in the Munster front row against Gloucester at Pairc ui Chaoimh this Saturday.

The loosehead prop, capped by Ireland during the summer, was replaced in the starting line-up by Jeremy Loughman, whose place on the bench at the Rec went to Josh Wycherley. It was the second late change to the Munster matchday squad following lock Jean Kleyn’s withdrawal for personal reasons. Edwin Edogbo was promoted from the bench for his Champions Cup debut, and his place on the bench went to Fineen Wycherley.

“He'll be okay, well I hope he's going to be okay,” Munster head coach McMillan said of Milne. “He had a little ding to his knee and didn't feel comfortable about getting through the game and so made the brave decision to step aside.

“And I thought Jeremy did a great job at loosehead against a powerful scrum and also Josh, you know, came in pretty cold but still did his job. So, yeah, they are some silver linings in a few things.” 

On Friday, McMillan had expressed confidence that Jack Crowley would recover from the ankle injury which kept him out of the Bath match in time to face Gloucester, though the province’s medical update issued that afternoon said their fly-half, like wings Calvin Nash (shoulder) and Andrew Smith were expected to return to play in one to two weeks. Experienced back-rower Jack O’Donoghue is also hoped to have completed his return to play protocols following the concussion he sustained against the Stormers on November 29.

Despite a bruising encounter with Bath on Saturday night, Munster appear to have picked up no new injuries from the game itself, with a squad update to be issued by the province in the next couple of days.

Bath, however, look set to be without their England and British & Irish Lions Test tighthead prop Will Stuart, who had to be helped from the pitch early in the second half and then returned to the dressing rooms on crutches.

"He's not in a good way. We'll take our time, but it looks like he has injured his Achilles," Bath boss Johann van Graan said. "I'm no medical expert, but you could see he could not even stand up when he got pulled off the field, so look, Rory Murray, head of medical, will give me some update a bit later, but it looks very serious."