O’Connell And O’Gara Included In Munster Squad

Key players Paul O’Connell and Ronan O’Gara have both been included in the extended Munster squad for Sunday’s Heineken Cup semi-final showdown with Saracens at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena (kick-off 3pm).

Munster coach Declan Kidney will be dealing from a full hand when he sits down with his management team to pick the side to play Saracens in the Heineken Cup semi-final.

Both Ronan O’Gara (knee) and Paul O’Connell (hip) have been listed in the squad. Kidney had a full complement of players for Wednesday’s training session, carried out in brilliant sunshine at the Sports Bowl at the University of Limerick.

Team captain O’Connell was a late cry-off before last weekend’s Magners League match against the Ospreys, while O’Gara injured his knee in Munster’s previous game against Leinster.

Scrum half Tomas O’Leary sat out Wednesday’s session having suffered a reaction to a knock he sustained in that Ospreys game.

However, the Corkman is expected to be in the mix when the management set about finalising their selection for the semi-final.

MUNSTER Squad (v Saracens): Forwards (15) – Marcus Horan, Federico Pucciariello, John Hayes, Tony Buckley, Frankie Sheahan, Jerry Flannery, Paul O’Connell, Donncha O’Callaghan, Mick O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, David Wallace, Alan Quinlan, Denis Leamy, Anthony Foley, Niall Ronan.

Backs (14) – Peter Stringer, Tomas O’Leary, Ronan O’Gara, Paul Warwick, Ian Dowling, Doug Howlett, Anthony Horgan, Rua Tipoki, Kieran Lewis, Lifeimi Mafi, Barry Murphy, Keith Earls, Denis Hurley, Shaun Payne.