WITH JAMES Coughlan ruled out for the remainder of the season, due to a fractured bone in his left hand, the focus in Munster switches to the wellbeing of Keith Earls. The Ireland centre-cum-winger will certainly miss Saturday’s important RaboDirect Pro12 League meeting with Glasgow at Musgrave Park due the lower leg damage sustained in last Sunday’s Heineken Cup defeat to Ulster.

Earls played on despite requiring attention on several occasions on what appeared to be a badly hurt leg. Munster have yet to confirm the exact nature of the injury.

Coughlan’s chances of making the Ireland tour to New Zealand appear to have passed after he was ruled out for six to eight weeks yesterday.

Ulster coach Brian McLaughlin has named the usual extended squad for their game against Connacht in Galway, including all 15 players involved against Munster.

This indicates that Stephen Ferris is being considered for selection despite being ruled out, then back in, for last week’s match with what was initially reported as “badly damaged ankle ligaments” sustained against Aironi on March 30th.

Ulster and All Black prop John Afoa’s hearing for an alleged dangerous tackle on Felix Jones takes place in Dublin today.

Connacht report no fresh injury concerns ahead of the Ulster game.

“The inter-pros bring out the best in the guys, everyone judges you on how you go in the derby matches, more so than in other matches in the league,” said Connacht lock Mike McCarthy, who is in direct competition with Ulster’s Dan Tuohy to make the New Zealand tour in June.

“We had a good win against the Dragons two weeks ago but if we don’t turn up against Ulster this Saturday then that’s all forgotten about, really.”