Jack Crowley ruled out until New Year as Munster and Ireland sweat over star man
Jack Crowley missed the backend of the 2025/26 season with a leg injury, and has now suffered a fresh setback
Jack Crowley has suffered a fresh injury setback, with the Ireland and Munster star now set to be sidelined until the New Year.
The injury comes after the fly-half missed the backend of the 2025/26 season with a leg issue, ruling him out of Munster’s URC play-off tie against the Bulls and Ireland’s Nations Championship Tests against Australia, Japan and the All Blacks.
The news comes as part of a lengthy injury update from Munster, ahead of their first pre-season clash against La Rochelle.
Jack Crowley suffers fresh injury setback as prognosis confirmed
It was previously understood that Crowley would make his return to the field in the early stages of the new season, but Munster have now confirmed he will not return until 2027 due to a ‘lower limb vascular injury’.
The timeline on his injury comes after medical advice.
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Commenting on Crowley’s injury, Munster head coach Clayton McMillan said: “Jack Crowley is a very important player for Munster and Ireland with a big future in the game and ensuring he gets back to 100% is the priority.
Crowley is not the only injury concern Munster have at fly-half ahead of the new URC campaign, either, with new signing Will Harrison suffering a reaggravation of a previous knee injury in pre-season and is now being assessed by the club’s medical staff.
“Will Harrison’s injury is a frustrating one for him because he has come into a new environment and made an immediate impression,” said McMillan. “But the reaggravation is a setback, and we want to make sure he’s in the best possible condition before he takes the field.”
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However, the head coach detailed they do have replacement options at the ready, in the form of JJ Hanrahan, Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea.
“We have a good mix of experience and youth available in the out-half position with JJ Hanrahan and Academy men Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea.
“JJ has played 160 games for Munster and is our third-highest points-scorer of all-time so he is a player we know we can count on.
“Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea are very exciting young players who have come up through the Munster pathway and excelled with the Ireland U20s last season.
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“Tom made his Munster debut last season with Charlie joining the Academy earlier this month and they will get opportunities this year so we are excited to see what they can do.
Elsewhere, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell, Calvin Nash and Ruadhán Quinn all underwent surgeries in the off-season and are expected to return in the opening block of the new season.
“The players enjoyed important time off with family and friends over the summer and came back in really refreshed, full of energy and in really good physical condition,” McMillan said ahead of their opening pre-season fixture.
“That has allowed us to hit the ground running when pre-season started last month and spending a number of days together in France is a great opportunity for the team and management to make another big step forward ahead of the new season and consolidate all the progress we have made.”
