Without Crowley, Munster look a diminished beast

No gentle introduction to the season for Munster with Glasgow Warriors the opposition at Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

Jack Crowley and Craig Casey training in UL. Pic: Nick Elliott/Inpho

Munster will be offered little in the way of an easy introduction to the new URC campaign when Glasgow Warriors provide the opposition in their 2026-27 opener at Thomond Park on Saturday evening.

The 2025 champions who followed up by topping last season’s league table before a narrow semi-final exit at home to the Bulls may have lost a quartet of Scottish internationals in Huw Jones, Adam Hastings, Johnny Matthews and Jack Dempsey but there remains enough firepower in Franco Smith’s team to worry most teams in the league, never mind a Munster one missing so many key members.