Munster likely to be without key trio for Exeter Chiefs Champions Cup clash

The three stars failed their respective Head Injury Assessments following last Saturday’s narrow United Rugby Championship loss at the Bulls in Pretoria.

OUT: Calvin Nash on the field after a tackle on Willie le Roux of Vodacom Bulls. Pic: Nic Bothma/Sportsfile.

Munster look set to be without Diarmuid Barron, Brian Gleeson and Calvin Nash for this Saturday’s Challenge Cup knockout clash at Exeter Chiefs, the province revealed on Wednesday.

The trio each failed their respective Head Injury Assessments following last Saturday’s narrow United Rugby Championship loss at the Bulls in Pretoria.

Wing Nash was removed after 24 minutes at Loftus Versfeld, with hooker Barron, making his 100th senior appearance for his native province, following him into the treatment room 10 minutes later.

No.8 Gleeson was removed on 41 minutes in a game which Munster lost 34-31, though they claimed a valuable two bonus points, having lost by less than seven points and scoring four tries.

Munster are “optimistic” Gavin Coombes will recover from the illness which made him a late withdrawal from the replacements against the Bulls, with academy back-rower Sean Edogbo replacing his fellow Corkman.

The Munster travelling party arrived back in Ireland on Monday afternoon following their two-week South African tour and will manage two training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday following a day’s recuperation from the long-haul flight into Shannon, before hitting the road again for the English south-west on Friday ahead of Saturday’s 12:30pm kick-off at Sandy Park.

A victory in the Round of 16 tie would mean a Challenge Cup quarter-final against the winners of the Benetton versus Cardiff tie on Saturday evening.

A Benetton victory would mean a trip to Treviso’s Stadio Monigo for Clayton McMillan’s squad the following weekend, with a Cardiff success away from home potentially bringing the Welshmen to Thomond Park for the last-eight clash.

Munster’s next URC game will be against Benetton in Italy on Saturday, April 18.