MUNSTER WILL BE without Darren Sweetnam and Andrew Conway when they take on Connacht at the Sportsground on Saturday evening.
Both players require the consultation of specialists after sustaining injuries during Munster’s St Stephen’s Day victory over Leinster at Thomond Park.
Sweetnam picked up a knee injury just before half-time, which is understood to have been a consequence of a tackle by Zane Kirchner in the build-up to Ronan O’Mahony’s try.
Conway replaced Sweetnam at the interval but he picked up an elbow injury during the second half, so the duo will be unavailable to Rassie Erasmus in Galway on New Year’s Eve.
Sweetnam has been a major success story for Munster in recent months. The 23-year-old former Cork senior hurler has started in every game for the province this season.
On a more positive note for Munster, Francis Saili showed no ill effects after returning from injury to make his first appearance of the season as a 63rd-minute replacement for Jaco Taute. Academy prop Brian Scott has also returned to full training after being cleared following a scan on an elbow injury last week.
Due to a combination of injuries and the need to manage the player welfare of their international contingent, Munster’s injury bulletin explains that “Rassie Erasmus will be forced to ring a number of changes” for the game against Connacht, when the southern province will look to maintain their lead at the top of the Guinness Pro12 table.
