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Peter O'Mahony has stepped up his training load. James Crombie/INPHO

O'Mahony could return for Munster against All Blacks XV

The 35-year-old hasn’t travelled to Portugal with Ireland.

MUNSTER SAY PETER O’Mahony could make his return from a hamstring injury for Saturday’s clash against the All Blacks XV at Thomond Park [KO 5.30pm, Access Munster].

O’Mahony is part of Ireland’s squad for the November Tests but his province have confirmed that the blindside flanker remained with Munster this week to continue his rehabilitation.

35-year-old O’Mahony suffered the hamstring injury in a URC clash with the Ospreys four weekends ago, but he is now close to making a comeback.

Munster said O’Mahony is increasing his training load this week and his availability for Saturday “will be determined later in the week.” Having their former captain fit would be a huge boost for Munster.

They will be without influential centre Alex Nankivell again due to his hip injury, but back row Brian Gleeson and wing Diarmuid Kilgallen are available having made their returns from injury for Garryowen in the AIL last weekend.

Kilgallen has yet to make his Munster debut after joining from Connacht during the summer, so the province’s fans would welcome a chance to see the 24-year-old flyer.

Munster skipper Tadhg Beirne, Craig Casey, Jack Crowley, Conor Murray, Calvin Nash and Alex Kendellen are all away in Ireland camp in Portugal ahead of the November Tests.

The province’s injury list remains lengthy, with Nankivell, Shane Daly (leg), Jeremy Loughman (knee), Josh Wycherley (neck), Mark Donnelly (ankle), Dave Kilcoyne (ankle), Oli Jager (neck), Liam Coombes (leg), Thaakir Abrahams (thigh), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Cian Hurley (knee), Edwin Edogbo (Achilles), Roman Salanoa (knee) all still out of action.

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    Mute John Kidney
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    Jan 14th 2025, 6:58 PM

    Irelands best ever 9

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    Mute Sambo
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    Jan 14th 2025, 10:03 PM

    @John Kidney: think he benefitted from playing his prime years under a coach that massively played to his strengths. His kicking and methodical, safe style with the sniping runs suited Schmidt down to the ground. He didn’t have quite the same impact really for Munster or Ireland under other coaches. Was a great player but not sure he’s the best ever 9.

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    Mute Liam Joyce
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    Jan 14th 2025, 10:09 PM

    @John Kidney: Agree and currently best Munster Number 9….

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    Mute Niall Boyle
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    Jan 15th 2025, 6:14 AM

    @Liam Joyce: name a better Irish 9

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    Mute Kenjo
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    Jan 14th 2025, 6:21 PM

    I’d love him to see out this season with Ireland and play a back up role to Casey next year at Munster. Still a quality operator as we saw against Saracen’s last Saturday.

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    Mute SPK
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    Jan 14th 2025, 6:25 PM

    @Kenjo: He’s soon to be 36! Young blood needs to be freed up.

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    Mute kieran horgan
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    Jan 14th 2025, 7:32 PM

    @SPK: Danny care still playing, if he’s going good, carry on.

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    Mute Rugbyanbeer
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    Jan 14th 2025, 6:17 PM

    He deserves to see out his playing days in Munster

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    Mute Daniel Kelly
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    Jan 14th 2025, 7:08 PM

    Here we go again !! Another Munster Rugby legend being messed around. Maybe they need training in player respect and management from their counterparts in Leinster.

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    Mute Rugbyanbeer
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    Jan 14th 2025, 7:42 PM

    @Daniel Kelly: You are so right

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    Mute Aidan Farrell
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    Jan 14th 2025, 7:51 PM

    @Daniel Kelly: how is he being messed about? Are you saying a player nearly 36, who has become increasingly injury prone and is slowing down naturally due to age, should be given a lucrative contract extension? It’s a professional sport, not a retirement home. There has to be an element of ruthlessness.

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    Mute munsterman
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    Jan 14th 2025, 8:45 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: there’s 3 provinces after getting their budgets squeezed over the last few yrs and one with the highest budget of any club in europe. I’d imagine contract negotiations are drawn out these days for all 3

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    Mute Cian Halley
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:28 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: didn’t seem too slow to me on that sa tour, he had a brilliant tour but that somehow slipped under the radar

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    Mute Jimmy Bean
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:52 PM

    @munsterman: 1- Toulouse: 49 million,
    2- Stade français: 45 million
    3- La Rochelle: 37 million.
    Above are the big budgets in Europe.
    IRFU made a loss of 18.4 million last year on a turnover of 79 million.
    I don’t know how you are insinuating that Leinster are the biggest. Munster only filled their stadium twice this year for the New Zealand and Leinster matches. If you could fill the stadium every second week then maybe you could sign a few more players.
    Get your facts right before you go mouthing off.

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    Mute Max
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    Jan 14th 2025, 10:07 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: dont agree with u much but i do this time

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    Mute munsterman
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    Jan 15th 2025, 12:08 AM

    @Jimmy Bean: you do realise all those French clubs operate under a salary cap? Or are you a bit dozy and think that toulouse spend 49m on their senior squad? I genuinely believe a lot of leinster fans especially think toulouse are paying every player in their senior squad nearly 1m each.

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    Mute Paul Ennis
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    Jan 15th 2025, 1:32 AM

    @Daniel Kelly: I get the impression, from Conor’s words, that he hasn’t decided if he wants another contract. We have no idea what goes on behind the scenes. Last season’s negotiations were affected by the IRFU first not offering a central contract and then second by budget restrictions in Munster. It took a while for the hybrid contact idea to manifest, but the dealy was on the IRFU rather than Munster.

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    Mute Paul Ennis
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    Jan 15th 2025, 4:00 AM

    @munsterman: Sick of saying it, “alot” of Leinster fans are not represented by one comment on The42. However, his comment is no more or less “dozy” than stating that Leinsters budget is the biggest in Europe. 1st you have no access to thise figures. 2nd You are failing to understand how rugby is funded. Every country operates their own methodology of subsidising player salaries. The French use JIFF, the English use the PGP and Ireland use Central Contracting. The clubs in each country providing more players to the national team benefit most. The reason for the extreme disparity in Ireland is firstly due to Leinster’s dominance over the last 15 years and secondly because rugby has fallen behind in Ulster and Munster. Connacht have arguably improved their position over the same time period.

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    Mute anthony davoren
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    Jan 15th 2025, 4:35 AM

    @munsterman: absolute rubbish with nothing factual to back it up

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    Mute frank walsh
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    Jan 14th 2025, 8:57 PM

    Conor Murray brilliant player for Munster and Ireland. Long may he continue

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    Mute Owen ODonoghue
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:46 PM

    could easily do a Sexton on it and play till he is 38 and get another world cup in it. His game lends itself to longevity, he isnt sniping trying to make breaks but is an excellent strategic kicker and perfect to close a tight game out

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    Mute Shanie
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    Jan 14th 2025, 10:01 PM

    Still playing well age just a number

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    Mute Lesidees
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    Jan 14th 2025, 7:45 PM

    Plying as well as he ever has at the moment

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    Mute JohnDoe
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    Jan 14th 2025, 8:05 PM

    @Lesidees: unfortunately not, 2016-2018 he was probably the best scrum half in the world

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    Mute Aidan Farrell
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    Jan 14th 2025, 7:39 PM

    Would expect him to retire in the summer, to be honest.

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    Mute Eoin H
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:25 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: I mean why would he? The French still love those control types of 9s, look at Lucu for Bordeaux, Parra went on well into his 30s. There’s probably good financial offers there from France or Japan. If his body is still good he’d be mad to retire

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    Mute Comeonyouknow
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:28 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: why?

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    Mute Cian Halley
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:32 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: why he’s been understatedly brilliant the last year or 2, and before you say he’s blocking young players etc, he’s not, casey is 25 and munster starter, Patterson and coughlan also regularly used, doak the starter in ulster, in fact the only province that really don’t produce scrum halves and are relying on old ones, is leinster.

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    Mute Max
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    Jan 14th 2025, 10:08 PM

    @Aidan Farrell: he will retire when he says it

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    Mute Robert O'Connor
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    Jan 14th 2025, 10:51 PM

    @Eoin H: needs to retire in Ireland for the tax return I’m fairly sure

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    Mute Paul Ennis
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    Jan 15th 2025, 4:03 AM

    @Robert O’Connor: He doesn’t… Paul O’Connell and Donnacha Ryan finished their careers in France. As did Sean O’Brien. You just need to complete 10 years in Ireland. However, I don’t think Conor Murray has a graw for travelling abroad. I cannot back this up with a quote, but something is lingering in the back of my head that he was asked the question and categorically said he would never want to play anywhere bar Munster.

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Jan 14th 2025, 9:55 PM

    He’ll know when it’s time. I would love to see him going into officiating as he knows the laws very well. Now whether his body could keep pace is another question.

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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 15th 2025, 10:04 AM

    @Con Cussed: Oh please no. I cant take the interprovincial ‘bias’ conspiracies anymore!

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