MUNSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that loosehead prop Dave Kilcoyne’s season is over, with the Ireland international loosehead prop set for neck surgery.
33-year-old Kilcoyne hasn’t played since his involvement in Ireland’s Six Nations campaign and is now set for 12 weeks out of action.
That timeframe would also rule Kilcoyne out of Ireland’s tour of New Zealand, meaning Andy Farrell will be without an experienced squad member.
Meanwhile, Munster are waiting for a specialist opinion on the knee injury that back row John Hodnett suffered during last weekend’s URC win away to Ulster.
The 23-year-old was replaced during the second half in Belfast but will hope not to be sidelined for a long period just as Munster head into the business end of the season.
In better news for the province ahead of this Friday’s URC meeting with Cardiff in Cork, captain Peter O’Mahony has returned to full training after missing the Ulster game due to what Munster described as a “knock.”
Hooker Niall Scannell also missed that clash with a “knock” and he will increase his training load over the coming days in the hope of being back in full training either by the end of this week or early next week.
Openside flanker Chris Cloete, who was forced off against Ulster with a neck and head injury, is undergoing the return-to-play protocols this week.
Gavin Coombes [ankle], Tadhg Beirne [thigh], Andrew Conway [knee], Jack O’Sullivan [knee], James French [knee], and RG Snyman [knee] all remain on the injury list for Munster.
