Munster and Ireland prop Dave Kilcoyne will miss the Six Nations after being ruled out for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury. On Thursday, the province announced that an issue which was sustained by the loosehead during the St Stephen’s Day defeat to Leinster requires surgery and a recovery time of six months.
The news is a blow to Graham Rowntree’s side ahead of their upcoming European clashes with Toulon and Northampton Saints, as well as to Andy Farrell’s Ireland squad given the lack of options at loosehead. Behind Andrew Porter, Kilcoyne travelled to the World Cup alongside Jeremy Loughman who was called up after Cian Healy was ruled out through injury.
Healy is back fit having made a number of appearances for Leinster this season.
Elsewhere, Munster’s ever-lengthening injury list grew once again with the news that Jack O’Donoghue will meet with a surgeon after picking up a knee injury during the New Year’s Day defeat to Connacht. O’Donoghue was replaced just before half-time after being cleared out of a ruck illegally. Connacht wing Byron Ralston saw yellow for his role in the collision.
Oli Jager is following the graduated return to play protocols after he was stretchered off vs Connacht due to a head injury. Eoghan Clarke is following the same protocols after being a late scratch from the line-up for that game.
It has been confirmed that young lock Edwin Edogbo will undergo surgery on the achilles injury he suffered vs Leinster. Diarmuid Barron, a regular captain of Munster since Peter O’Mahony stepped down, is also due to go under the knife for a foot injury, with his return to be determined after the procedure.
There was some good news for Munster as Fineen Wycherley looks set to return to training after also being withdrawn late from the side to play Connacht with a shoulder injury, while Alex Nankivell has not yet been ruled out of the trip to Toulon as he continues to recover from an ankle injury.
Munster offered no further update on the following long-term absentees: Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Peter O’Mahony (shoulder), Jean Kleyn (eye), Jack Daly (ankle), Liam Coombes (shoulder), Niall Scannell (groin), RG Snyman (chest/shoulder), Joey Carbery (wrist), Roman Salanoa (knee), Mike Haley (hip), Cian Hurley (ankle/achilles).
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