Munster hope two key Ireland internationals will be available for their Vodacom URC quarter-final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
Coach Clayton McMillan said there is cautious optimism around flyhalf Jack Crowley and lock Tadhg Beirne ahead of the 30 May showdown.
Crowley was withdrawn from the starting lineup just four minutes before kick-off of the final-round clash against the Lions in Limerick after suffering a recurrence of a neural issue that had sidelined him for Munster’s previous two matches.
“It’s obviously a bit of a concern because it’s a recurring injury,” McMillan said. “Just that no one’s really able to get a handle on exactly what’s going on.”
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Crowley had completed a full week of training and taken part in Munster’s captain’s run before the problem resurfaced on match day.
“He would have had a pretty decent week of training,” McMillan said. “We had a good hit-out here on Thursday and he took a full part in that and no dramas. Then we got to [Saturday] and again the neural stuff just kicked in.”
Despite the setback, McMillan believes the playmaker could feature in Pretoria.
“We’ve got a two-week lead-in to the Bulls so I’d be reasonably confident that he’d be all right,” he said.
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Munster are also monitoring captain Beirne, who missed a third successive match with a knee injury.
The lock was seen wearing a knee brace after the Lions clash, although McMillan joked it may not be as serious as it looked.
“I’m sure it’s precautionary,” he said. “He probably likes getting everyone patting him on the back walking around in it feeling sorry for him.”
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But McMillan admitted Beirne’s availability remains uncertain.
“Could be touch and go,” he said. “If he’s ready then he’ll be available and if he’s not then, as we’ve seen [against the Lions], we’ve got able bodies that will step up.”
PHOTO: @Munsterrugby/X
The post Munster big guns back for Bulls? appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Munster hope two key Ireland internationals will be available for their Vodacom URC quarter-final against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
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