AN INJURY SITUATION that at one stage looked gravely concerning has greatly eased for Munster, with head coach Rob Penney now hopeful of calling on some key personnel this weekend.
With a trip to Kingsholm to take on Gloucester on the agenda, the returns of Conor Murray and Simon Zebo to training at the University of Limerick today could not have been any more timely. The Kiwi boss admits that both players are genuine possibilities to feature in the Pool 6 clash on Saturday.
“Conor Murray and Simon Zebo have both been so well managed by our medical team and our strength & conditioning team that they’ve both bounced back strongly. They got through a managed training session today and haven’t had any repercussions post-that.
So all being well, and they wake up tomorrow and get through Thursday, they could be in line for selection coming into the weekend. They’ll be welcome back.”
Penney referred to Zebo and Murray’s recoveries as the “flip side” to losing impressive scrum-half Cathal Sheridan for between four and six weeks with a grade two medial ligament injury. The Sligo native was an important part of Munster’s dramatic win in Perpignan in their last European bout.
Otherwise, the New Zealander was pleased to report promising signs for hooker Damian Varley and second row Donncha O’Callaghan, both of whom appeared to suffer serious injuries against Ulster last weekend.
“Damien Varley came off obviously last week with what looked like a bit of a horrendous injury and he’s had a great report from the specialist. It’s nowhere near as bad as first anticipated. He could be there or thereabouts by the end of the week, so we’ll just have to wait and see.
Donncha O’Callaghan came off with what, again, looked to be quite a major issue around his knee. The warrior that he is, the war horse that he is, he’s bounced back really strongly and is in contention this week again now.”
Meanwhile, JJ Hanrahan took full part in the energetic training session in UL, having been omitted against Ulster as part of the management of an “ongoing groin problem”. The young out-half is “ready to go” and poses a real threat to Ian Keatley’s spot in the number 10 shirt.
