Munster Issue Injury Update

The province’s head coach Rob Penney met with media after the squad session and provided an update on squad injuries.

BJ Botha, who suffered a grade 2 medial ligament injury to the right knee against London Irish last month, is progressing very well and would hope to resume some training sessions in the next week to ten days.

Felix Jones (shoulder) has resumed full training, and having been given the all-clear by his surgeon he is progresing very positively.

Following his surgery last Friday, Tommy O’Donnell, who suffered a knee injury during the recent Zebre game, is rehabilitating very well and should be expected back in training around the twelve-week mark.

Ian Nagle, who injured a tendon in his foot also against Zebre, is settling well and should be back into training early next week.

Luke O’Dea (wrist) is starting to integrate into some contact training and it will be approximately another four weeks before he is match fit.

Conor Murray, meanwhile, has suffered a ‘flare up’ of a toe injury and is being rested from all training this week. The Ireland and Lions scrum half is expected to return next week.

Hoping Munster can bounce back immediately from their Treviso defeat, Penney commented: “All the teams started with a bit of a hiss and a roar and the teams to the fore are those that did some work in the summer and prepared well.

“But there’s a long way to go (in the league) and there are some big games to come and they’ll have a big bearing on how things wind up in May.

“Ulster last year, they had a bit of a runaway at the start but only winning matches by one or two points, it wasn’t as if they were smashing teams.

“Glasgow had a couple of hiccups in the middle period and came strongly again at the end. So it’s a long year and there will be ups and downs.

“The game is there to be played and enjoyed and the lads are growing with that all the time and we’ll see what progress they can make.”