Munster have to plan without Ronan O'Gara for the next three weeks, at least, after a scan yesterday confirmed a broken bone in his hand, sustained during Saturday's 19-13 Celtic League victory over Leinster at Musgrave Park.
Paul Burke replaced Ireland's number-one outhalf on 39 minutes and will do so again for Munster's crucial Heineken European Cup ties against Neath-Swansea Ospreys and NEC Harlequins over the coming two weekends.
"It's hugely disappointing for him, especially coming into the European games next week," said Munster manager Jerry Holland.
"It was innocuous enough stuff, but the back of the hand is a fairly sensitive area so he does have to go into plaster for three weeks. After that, we'll work off the medical advice."
It's a cruel blow for Alan Gaffney's team ahead of their fourth encounter this season with the Neath-Swansea Ospreys, next Saturday in Thomond Park.
O'Gara is also definitely out of the final pool game against NEC Harlequins, at Twickenham on January 15th.
With Munster's gap week in the Celtic League the following weekend O'Gara will be aiming to return for the trip to Stradey Park, to face the Llanelli Scarlets, on January 29th.
At present, a full recovery is expected for Ireland's opening Six Nations match against Italy on February 6th at Rome's Stade Flaminio.
At least Munster can call on one of the best reserve outhalves in the Northern Hemisphere as Burke will make his first European Cup start for the province next week against the Ospreys.
The 31-year-old is Munster's leading scorer in the Celtic League this season with 92-points.
The former Irish international will especially relish the opportunity to play against his former club, Harlequins - with whom he won the Parker Pen Challenge Cup last May.
Meanwhile, Rob Henderson, who received a blow on the jaw in Munster's victory on Saturday, has been declared available for the match against Ospreys.
After that game Gaffney also said he was confident John Hayes would be fit for the Osprey's game, despite the fact he missed Saturday's match because of flu. Munster once again resorted to their potent lineout maul to rumble over for a pair of decisive second-half tries, from Marcus Horan and Frankie Sheahan, in their eighth successive win over Leinster.
Leinster coach Declan Kidney was not so optimistic about Malcolm O'Kelly's prospects of being fit for the province's European Cup tie next week away to Bath.
O'Kelly suffered a groin strain while playing Ulster last Monday.
Ulster toppled their provincial rivals Connacht at Ravenhill 23-14 on Saturday to enhance their chances of automatic qualification for next season's European Cup.
Mark McCall's side recorded their fourth successive home win and moved above Connacht in the league table by denying them a bonus point.
Bad weather dictated the match pattern and it was the Ulster front five who won the battle.
