Munster coach Declan Kidney will announce the team to play Toulouse in the European Cup semi-final in Bordeaux on Saturday (2.45) after training today. The interprovincial champions trained twice yesterday, at Thomond Park and Coonagh, the latter a closed session.
Kidney awaits definitive medical opinion on several players, his most pressing concerns being the injuries to Garryowen flanker David Wallace and Cork Constitution centre-cum-wing John Kelly. Wallace has 17 stitches in a wound over his eye and has not played since the damage was sustained against Dungannon last Saturday week.
Team manager Brian O'Brien confirmed that the injury is healing but the player still faces a race against time. He rated Wallace's chances at 50/50. It is likely that the flanker, who has enjoyed an outstanding season to date, will be named in the team and his progress monitored closely as the day of the match arrives. The alternative would be to play Shannon's Eddie Halvey at openside with either Alan Quinlan or Ken O'Connell on the other flank.
Kelly has been suffering from a back spasm that forced an early departure while playing for Constitution against Clontarf and forced him to miss the subsequent games against Shannon and St Mary's.
He is another key member of the team and will be facilitated to prove his fitness in the run-up to the game. Tighthead prop John Hayes came through half a match for Shannon against Clontarf at the weekend with no ill effects, while the shoulder and knee injuries that have sidelined his colleagues in the Munster front row, Peter Clohessy and Keith Wood respectively, are not expected to keep them out of the Toulouse game.
The litany of minor injuries include those to Anthony Horgan (hip) and John O'Neill (ankle). Horgan came off at half-time in Constitution's defeat by St Mary's but is expected to play. O'Neill should be fit to take his place on the bench if selected.
Toulouse beat La Rochelle at the weekend and while Stephene Ougier and Alain Penaud did not play, they are expected to be in contention for a place when the team is announced tomorrow. The French side are currently in training camp in the Pyrenees.
Meanwhile, the IRFU has confirmed that the AIL Division One semi-finals will take place on Saturday and Sunday week respectively. St Mary's will host Ballymena at Templeville Road on the Saturday while Terenure play Lansdowne at Lakelands 24 hours later.
The Saturday semi-final is likely to be scheduled for a 4.05 kick-off to facilitate live television coverage on RTE. The national broadcaster is already committed to showing the All-Ireland under-21 football final between Limerick and Tyrone, which begins at 2.30 in Mullingar.
The Lansdowne/Terenure match will take place on the Sunday, but as yet there is no kick-off time. Discussions are ongoing with RTE about the possibility of screening that match live but this remains unlikely, as the National Hurling League final at Croke Park will be transmitted live on the same day.
Galwegians travel to Stradbrook on Saturday hoping to avoid a playoff with Clontarf for a place in Division One next season. They take on Division Two champions Blackrock, aware that a victory or a draw would suffice to earn them the fourth promotion place and consign UCD to meet Clontarf.
Galwegians could also score four tries, lose the match by seven points and still earn the two points they need to be promoted automatically. They are expected to field the same team that thrashed Greystones last weekend.
Blackrock have yet to select a team, but will definitely be without centre David Quinlan (exams).
Bristol yesterday unveiled rugby league legend Ellery Hanley as the latest addition to their coaching staff. Hanley has agreed a one-year deal, believed to be worth around £60,000, to work as defensive coach.
Hanley captained and coached Great Britain in rugby league and scored 428 tries during his playing career with Bradford, Wigan and Leeds. Hanley could soon be joined at the Memorial Stadium by South Africa's 1995 World Cup final winner Joel Stransky.
GALWEGIANS (probable): W Ruane; N Carolan, P Duignan, M Murphy, M Mostyn; E Elwood, J Heaslip; J Fahey, P Cleary, A Kershaw; D Browne, M McConnell; J Charlie, B Gavin, N Taylor.
