Munster face the probability of being without Conor Murray for their return Heineken Cup meeting with Perpignan in the Stade Aime Giral next Saturday after he suffered “suspected ligament damage” in Sunday’s 36-8 win over the catalans at Thomond Park.
The province are today anxiously awaiting the results of a scan on his right knee to ascertain the extent of the injury and the anticipated recovery period, but their in-form Irish and Lions’ scrumhalf would have been a key component for next Saturday’s game.
Furthermore, a cloud now hangs over Murray’s involvement in Munster’s festive programme as well as their concluding pool games in the Heineken Cup.
Although Ian Keatley was also replaced early in the second half with a dead leg, he is expected to be fit for the return game. Winger Luke O'Dea fractured a bone in the thumb on his right hand in Munster A's loss in Plymouth on Friday night and after undergoing surgery on Saturday will be out for approximately eight weeks.
Ireland ambitions
Meanwhile number eight Robin Copeland is to join Munster from Cardiff Blues next season in a bid to fulfil his Ireland ambitions. The 26-year-old from Wexford will return home at the end of this season in June following two impressive years in the Welsh capital since arriving from English Championship club Rotherham Titans, witness his man-of-the-match display in the famous Heineken Cup win over Toulon in October.
Cardiff, who are losing lock Bradley Davies to Wasps and are embroiled in an off-field dispute with the WRU which could affect the futures of Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny, offered Copeland a new contract, and he would have qualified for Wales on residency grounds in time for the 2015 World Cup, but has opted to push for a place at Munster.
“I’m an Irishman and my dream is to pull the green shirt on but if those opportunities aren’t there I still want to play at the best level and keep moving up the ladder,” he has said previously.
“There’s a lot of great players back in Ireland, Jamie Heaslip is there, Seán O’Brien is a good number eight, Peter O’Mahony at Munster – these are fantastic players who prove themselves week in week out.”
