RUGBY PRO12 LEAGUE: MUNSTER ARE hopeful Paul O’Connell and David Wallace will resume full training this week despite suffering recurrences of knee injuries.
Wallace is causing the most concern. The 35-year-old flanker was unable to feature against Glasgow last Saturday despite only recently returning from seven months rehabilitating a horrific rupturing of his right knee. He missed the World Cup after being tackled by England’s young centre Manu Tuilagi in the August warm-up fixture at the Aviva Stadium.
James Coughlan has already been ruled out for the season, requiring surgery to a bone in his hand, forcing Peter O’Mahony to play number eight.
O’Connell damaged the medial collateral ligament in his left knee against France on March 4th.
Munster probably need a win in Llanelli this Saturday to secure a home semi-final in the RaboDirect Pro 12. They have yet to guarantee a top-four finish and must still face Ulster on May 5th in Limerick.
It is also anticipated Keith Earls (ankle), Ronan O’Gara (leg) and BJ Botha (ribs) will resume contact training this week. However, due to the number of concerns outgoing coach Tony McGahan will not release a squad until tomorrow.
Ulster’s only fresh injury is scrumhalf Paul Marshall. The 26-year-old damaged his elbow crossing for a try in Saturday’s defeat to Connacht. He was replaced on 37 minutes with a scan results to reveal more today.
Although not a regular starter, Marshall has become a valuable member of the Ulster squad as his impressive form off the bench allows Ruan Pienaar’s switch to outhalf.
Leinster’s strength in depth is clearly apparent; of the side that started the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Cardiff only Jamie Heaslip, Isa Nacewa and Gordon D’Arcy played in the 54-13 win over Edinburgh last Friday.
Eoin O’Malley has recovered from a calf strain but Jamie Hagan’s rib damage is still being monitored.
It’s unclear whether they will field a mirror image of the side they intend to start in Bordeaux on Sunday week against Clermont Auvergne, as one or two selection decisions can still be made in Ravenhill this Friday.
“I think you’ve got to manage a couple of guys,” said assistant coach Jono Gibbes. “You have to give a couple of guys a reward, an opportunity, some of the guys who have worked really hard not necessarily in games but in training. I think it’s also important that you put together players with their minds focused on this one.”
Still, with a home Pro 12 semi-final secured, the Leinster coaches have begun their analysis of the 2010 French champions.
“Regardless of the league table, an interpro is always in a player’s mind. Ulster will be mindful of still trying to chase a qualifying spot. They rested a lot of their players last Friday. From our point of view as coaches, we’ve had a look at what’s around the corner.”
And?
“They’re big. Well-drilled. They’ve got a couple of really good operators in their pack. We know what Hinesy’s (Nathan Hines) strengths are. Good scrum, pretty strong at the pick and go, good at the drive and they’re pretty disruptive at defending drives so . . .”
So everything really.
Ulster did provide a blueprint on how to tackle Clermont with their bonus-point, 19-15 defeat last January at Stade Marcel Michelin.
“You have to give Ulster a lot of respect,” Gibbes continued. “I don’t know when Clermont last lost at home. I think Ulster, they really turned up with a clear plan, were right in it until the end, they attacked that game I think the way Ulster dismantled Leicester at home, the way Ulster went down and got stuck into Munster. I think that bringing it back to this Friday night is very important. That’s three big Ulster performances that have made a pretty big statement in my mind.”
