Although Munster are apparently still waiting to learn the extent of the damage to captain Peter O’Mahony (shoulder) and Jack O’Donoghue (ankle), they remain resigned to being without two of their stalwart backrowers for Saturday’s URC rendezvous with old foes Leinster at the Aviva Stadium.
“We’re just waiting on reports back from scans,” said forwards coach Andi Kyriacou at the squad’s HPC in the University of Limerick following training on Tuesday. “They’ve not been available for training, so we’ve been working away without them. Once we know what the news is in terms of availability we’ll make some decisions.”
A lengthy absence in either case would be blow as Munster face into a searching mid-season block of games, featuring three interpros, the visit of Glasgow and their opening two Champions Cup games against Bayonne and Exeter.
In the short-term, there is encouragement in the emergence of last season’s Irish Under-20 stars Ruadhan Quinn and Brian Gleeson, who has already featured three times off the bench this season.
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There’s also been the form of Gavin Coombes, who has started all five games, completing the last four, as well as John Hodnett and Alex Kendellen.
“It’s really exciting, the depth we have in those areas,” said Kyriacou. “We’ve shown throughout last season and this season so far, we just put the next lad in. We’re confident in what they can do and the way they’re all training currently and the way they’ve played in the first few rounds of the comp, there’s no fear of putting lads in.”
There’s also the option of moving Tadhg Beirne from the secondrow to blindside, especially given the return to training on Tuesday of World Cup-winning lock Jean Kleyn.
“He’s training with us, doing everything now on the field. He’s moving well, the meat and drink of his game is collisions, and it’s very good again today. It’s incredibly good to have him back in the building and on the field. He was a huge player for us last season and it’s like he’s not missed a beat out there today. Really glad to have him back and hopefully available for the weekend.”
Kyriacou confirmed that new signing Oli Jager would not be arriving until Thursday or Friday, so as expected will not be involved on Saturday. Hence, Stephen Archer looks sure to break Donncha O’Callaghan’s Munster appearances record next Saturday.
“The fella is one of the best,” enthused Kyriacou. “He’s incredibly giving with his time to younger players. He’s very welcoming and friendly to new people in to the building. He’s like a Toyota Hilux, isn’t he, with about 400,000 miles on the clock. He’ll never break down.
“He’s just a brilliant human to have in the building and incredibly lucky to be working with someone like that on a daily basis. We know it as coaches and the playing group as well. We understand what it is to have someone like that in the building.”
Kyriacou admitted that a highly motivated Leinster, on a run of four successive bonus point wins, will test Munster in ways they have not been tested so far this season.
“Their trophy cabinet looks the way it does for a reason. They’re a great outfit. They’ve got a lot of lads who have been at the club for a number of years now. They understand their game plan inside out and are able to execute things.
“They’ve got great coaches that plan things unbelievably well in terms of their detail and yeah, we’re going to have to be one hundred per cent to beat them at the weekend.
“We showed in that semi-final that they don’t go away. I know it’s cliched but it’s going to be a 23-man game and we’re going to have to go for 80.”
More than in their previous five games, Kyriacou said, “It’s making sure that we, as a group, stick to our game plan. We do things with huge intent and intensity, and just stay in the fight, and make sure that we keep the ball in play time high and challenge them in all areas of the game.
“If we do that, we know we’ve got a lot of talent on the field that can put us in a position that can win the game.”
