Gloucester’s injury-ravaged start to the season shows no sign of easing off ahead of their trip to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to take on Munster (Saturday, 5.30pm). England international Will Joseph (knee) and Max Llewellyn (ankle) of Wales have undergone scans for their ailments and will miss the Champions Cup encounter in Cork.
The pair sustained the injuries in the 34-14 win over Castres last weekend. The English club will also be without Wales scrumhalf Tomos Williams, who will enjoy a mandatory rest in accordance with World Rugby regulations around players involved in the November Tests.
Williams’s understudy, the former Irish age-grade international Caolan Englefield, is currently out with a shoulder injury. The 26-year-old Londoner played for Ireland at under-18 and under-19 level but has since played three matches for England A, including a couple last month against a New Zealand XV and Spain.
Gloucester head coach George Skivington explained: “There are a couple of lads getting scans, Max Llewellyn and Will Joseph, they’re both on crutches, so it’s definitely not positive news. But we’re just hoping it’s less catastrophic than more so. Those two lads, unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll be seeing them in the next couple of weeks.
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“Obviously, they are two players we don’t want to lose, but it is what it is. They would be our two first-choice 13s between the two of them, so that is something we’ve got to look at. But we have recruited in a way that our backs are quite flexible, so we just must look at what we do in that position if we are in a bit of a sticky spot.”
Skivington elaborated on a centre partner for Seb Atkinson in midfield. “Will Butler is training this week, so he’s coming back into fitness, which is great. Will Knight has obviously played quite a bit for us at the start of the year.” Teenager Knight is still in the academy.
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There was better news regarding fullback Ben Redshaw, who is available for selection despite requiring crutches and an ice pack after the win over Castres. Skivington confirmed: “Ben Redshaw came through OK. He was more cautious, to be honest. We spent a lot of time getting him back to fitness [from a broken foot in the summer], so it was more important to get him off.”
In the pack, flanker Deian Gwynne joins All Black prop Nepo Laulala on the suspended list after the Welshman picked up a three-match ban for contacting the eye area of Castres lock Florent Vanverberghe at a ruck. Russian tighthead prop Kirill Gotovtsev is doubtful having taken a blow to his hand in training.
Flanker Jack Clement might be in line for a competitive return following an ankle injury on the opening day of the Gallagher Premiership.
Meanwhile, Munster have registered academy fullback Ben O’Connor and deregistered Young Munster’s Shay McCarthy ahead of the second round of Champions Cup fixtures. In the Challenge Cup, Ulster have registered Instonians’ fullback Bradley McNamara in place of the injured Michael Lowry.
