Jack Crowley fighting fit for Munster's crunch Connacht clash

Clayton McMillan will have to plan without skipper Tadhg Beirne however. 

Munster's Jack Crowley takes a selfie with a fan at Thomond Park. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley has been passed fit for Munster's must-win URC derby at Connacht this Saturday but Clayton McMillan will have to plan without captain Tadhg Beirne and a host of fellow frontline injury absentees.

Crowley was withdrawn due to a leg injury sustained in the warm-up before kick-off against Ulster at Thomond Park last time out on April 25, while Munster’s bonus-point Round 16 victory saw Beirne (knee), fellow lock Jean Kleyn (bicep), centre Tom Farrell (shoulder), wing Calvin Nash (hamstring) and tighthead prop Oli Jager (head) all fail to finish the 41-14 home derby win.

Only Crowley has been cleared for the penultimate-round trip to Galway’s Dexcom Stadium with the other quintet declared unavailable, though another senior lock Fineen Wycherley has returned to training this week following a knee injury and could feature for the first time since Munster’s defeat to the Bulls in Pretoria on March 28.

There was also positive news on long-term knee injury absentee Roman Salanoa, the tighthead prop whose most recent senior appearance came in the URC Grand Final victory at Stormers in May 2023. Salanoa, who featured for Nenagh Ormond in the AIL earlier this season, played 20 minutes as a replacement for Munster A in last Friday’s win over Connacht Eagles in Galway and in the words of Munster’s squad update on Tuesday, “moved a step closer to first team action”.

Munster A play a return fixture against Connacht Eagles this Friday at Ennis RFC (2pm), their final game of the Interprovincial Series.