Will Harrison and Edwin Edogbo in line for season bows against Sharks 

Munster's Edwin Edogbo in the changing room. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Munster may be ready to give summer signing Will Harrison his debut alongside a first appearance of the season for Edwin Edogbo when they face URC rivals Sharks at Thomond Park this Saturday.

Clayton McMillan will lose captain Tadhg Beirne and scrum-half Craig Casey to Ireland camp this week as preparations get underway for next month’s Nations Championship home games against Argentina, Fiji and South Africa while the weekend’s 24-18 loss at Leinster saw centre Sean O’Brien and wing Shane Daly withdrawn due to injuries.

O’Brien was taken off before half-time at Aviva Stadium on Saturday night with a groin issue while try scorer Daly’s departure on 70 minutes was more concerning, the versatile back three player needing to leave the field on a stretcher cart after lying prone on the pitch for lengthy treatment.

Loosehead props Jeremy Loughman (knee) and Michael Milne (ankle) are also nearing comebacks after missing one and three games respectively.

Ireland lock Edogbo and Australian fly-half/full-back Harrison, who joined from Japan’s Kinetsu Liners in pre-season, took part in the pre-game preparations in Dublin. Edogbo has not played since last April, when he sustained a shoulder injury which required surgery, while former Waratahs playmaker Harrison re-injured a knee on his arrival for pre-season.

“Will Harrison and Edwin Edogbo, they warmed up with us today. Probably just didn't get through enough training to be genuinely considered for today's game,” McMillan said of players potentially returning for the Sharks fixture.

“Yeah, forwards-wise, we're probably looking quite healthy. Not too sure about the two looseheads, probably touch and go at this stage.

“It's in the backs we're running pretty thin and obviously with Shane tonight that doesn't help, Sean O'Brien, bit of a niggly groin, had to take him off, and obviously we lose Craig and Tadhg (to Ireland camp), so yeah, see what the wash up after the medical clinic is tomorrow.

“But it's a huge game for us, and we'll just lick our wounds from today and then get back to work on Monday.” 

Speaking about Daly, the Munster head coach on Saturday night added: “He's up walking around in the changing shed but he naturally looks pretty dusty and I don't imagine that he'll be back for a little while.” 

There were international implications for injuries in the Leinster dressing room at Aviva Stadium on Saturday with Ireland wings Jimmy O’Brien and first-half try-scorer Tommy O’Brien failing to finish the derby. Both were named last week in Ireland’s Nations Championship squad for next month, as was fly-half Sam Prendergast, who missed the Munster match with a wrist injury.

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen said: “Jimmy took a head knock, and he didn't come through his first step there so I'm not sure.

“I haven't seen him in the dressing-room and Tommy. came off, so again, I'm not 100 per cent sure how he is so we'll get him checked here now.”