MUNSTER RUGBY HAVE been dealt a blow ahead of the new season as star out-half Jack Crowley has been ruled out with injury.
An update from the province reads that Crowley “has been assessed by specialists for a lower limb vascular injury and is not expected to return to action until the new year following medical advice.”
Crowley was previously sidelined for Munster’s URC quarter-final against the Bulls in May due to his ongoing leg issue. The Ireland 10 sustained the neural injury during a warm-up against Ulster in April.
The news comes ahead of Munster’s clash with La Rochelle in their first pre-season game on Friday night. Their URC season-opener against Glasgow Warriors is coming up on Saturday, 26 September at Thomond Park.
🗞️ Squad Update | Pre-Season 2026/27
The Munster men's squad face La Rochelle in their first game of pre-season tomorrow night with 1⃣ month until the #URC season-opener against Glasgow Warriors at Thomond Park.
“Jack Crowley is a very important player for Munster and Ireland with a big future in the game and ensuring he gets back to 100% is the priority.”
Munster has also reported that Will Harrison suffered a “reaggravation of a knee injury in pre-season” and is being managed by the medical department.
Marnus van der Merwe has started to reintegrate to team training on the back of a calf injury at the end of last season.
Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell (both shoulder) and Calvin Nash (hamstring) underwent successful surgeries in the summer and are all expected to return during the opening block of fixtures.
Ruadhán Quinn has undergone surgery on an ankle injury this month and is expected back for the early rounds of the season.
“Will Harrison’s injury is a frustrating one for him because he has come into a new environment and made an immediate impression, but the reaggravation is a setback, and we want to make sure he’s in the best possible condition before he takes the field,” McMillan added.
“We have a good mix of experience and youth available in the out-half position with JJ Hanrahan and Academy men Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea.
“JJ has played 160 games for Munster and is our third-highest points-scorer of all-time so he is a player we know we can count on.
“Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea are very exciting young players who have come up through the Munster pathway and excelled with the Ireland U20s last season.
“Tom made his Munster debut last season with Charlie joining the Academy earlier this month, and they will get opportunities this year so we are excited to see what they can do.
“The pre-season game in France is a vital part of our pre-season programme and getting valuable time together is a great opportunity for our squad and management team to build on all of the great work we have done over the past four weeks.
“The players enjoyed important time off with family and friends over the summer and came back in really refreshed, full of energy and in really good physical condition.
“That has allowed us to hit the ground running when pre-season started last month, and spending a number of days together in France is a great opportunity for the team and management to make another big step forward ahead of the new season and consolidate all the progress we have made.”
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Blow for Munster as Jack Crowley ruled out until the new year with injury
MUNSTER RUGBY HAVE been dealt a blow ahead of the new season as star out-half Jack Crowley has been ruled out with injury.
An update from the province reads that Crowley “has been assessed by specialists for a lower limb vascular injury and is not expected to return to action until the new year following medical advice.”
Crowley was previously sidelined for Munster’s URC quarter-final against the Bulls in May due to his ongoing leg issue. The Ireland 10 sustained the neural injury during a warm-up against Ulster in April.
The news comes ahead of Munster’s clash with La Rochelle in their first pre-season game on Friday night. Their URC season-opener against Glasgow Warriors is coming up on Saturday, 26 September at Thomond Park.
Head Coach Clayton McMillan said:
“Jack Crowley is a very important player for Munster and Ireland with a big future in the game and ensuring he gets back to 100% is the priority.”
Munster has also reported that Will Harrison suffered a “reaggravation of a knee injury in pre-season” and is being managed by the medical department.
Marnus van der Merwe has started to reintegrate to team training on the back of a calf injury at the end of last season.
Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell (both shoulder) and Calvin Nash (hamstring) underwent successful surgeries in the summer and are all expected to return during the opening block of fixtures.
Ruadhán Quinn has undergone surgery on an ankle injury this month and is expected back for the early rounds of the season.
“Will Harrison’s injury is a frustrating one for him because he has come into a new environment and made an immediate impression, but the reaggravation is a setback, and we want to make sure he’s in the best possible condition before he takes the field,” McMillan added.
“We have a good mix of experience and youth available in the out-half position with JJ Hanrahan and Academy men Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea.
“JJ has played 160 games for Munster and is our third-highest points-scorer of all-time so he is a player we know we can count on.
“Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea are very exciting young players who have come up through the Munster pathway and excelled with the Ireland U20s last season.
“Tom made his Munster debut last season with Charlie joining the Academy earlier this month, and they will get opportunities this year so we are excited to see what they can do.
“The pre-season game in France is a vital part of our pre-season programme and getting valuable time together is a great opportunity for our squad and management team to build on all of the great work we have done over the past four weeks.
“The players enjoyed important time off with family and friends over the summer and came back in really refreshed, full of energy and in really good physical condition.
“That has allowed us to hit the ground running when pre-season started last month, and spending a number of days together in France is a great opportunity for the team and management to make another big step forward ahead of the new season and consolidate all the progress we have made.”
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Injury jack crowley Munster Rugby Setback