Munster: Five fitness boosts ahead of URC quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors

Jared Wright
munster RG Snyman and Tadhg Beirne are among the returnees ahead of the United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors

Munster head coach Graham Rowntree has three key players returning from injury ahead of Saturday’s United Rugby Championship (URC) quarter-final against Glasgow.

Munster drew 22-all with the Sharks in the final round of the regular season, claiming a fifth-place overall finish and an away trip to Scotstoun to tackle the Warriors.

Earls ruled out

The result came at a cost, though, with veteran winger Keith Earls sustaining a groin injury in the clash. Earls came off the bench against the Sharks to earn his 200th cap for the Irish province.

Munster confirmed in a statement that he underwent an MRI scan following the match and has started his rehabilitation with the medical department.

While Earls’ injury is a blow for the team, there is positive news with three players returning to full training this week and are available for selection.

Good news

Springboks lock RG Snyman has completed his return-to-play protocols and is training with the squad again.

Snyman sustained the head knock in the 26-24 victory over the Stormers in the penultimate round of the regular season and subsequently missed the clash with the Sharks.

In a further boost in the pack, Tadhg Beirne has returned to team training this week. Beirne underwent surgery on an ankle injury in Ireland’s Six Nations clash with France in February.

There is more good news in the pack, with tighthead prop Roman Salanoa returning to full team training after his neck injury against the Sharks.

He could return to the front-row along with Niall Scannell, who is back from a shoulder injury. Fellow hooker Chris Moore is also back from a neck injury.

Unavailable players

On the other hand, scrum-half Paddy Patterson will miss the rest of the season after he underwent surgery for an ACL injury.

Prop Liam O’Connor has also gone under the knife for a neck issue.

Patterson will continue his rehab along with O’Connor, Jack Daly (knee), Andrew Conway (knee), Eoin O’Connor (shoulder), and Liam Coombes (thigh).

Munster face Glasgow on Saturday evening as the Scottish side head into the URC fixture off the back of a Challenge Cup semi-final victory over Scarlets.

READ MORE: Rugby rumours and transfers: Willie le Roux, Sam Whitelock, John Mitchell and much more