MUNSTER HAVE CLOSE enough to a clean bill of health ahead of Friday night’s Guinness Pro14 Rainbow Cup visit of Ulster to Thomond Park (8:15pm), but lock RG Snyman has suffered a setback during the late stages of his rehab from a knee injury and will undergo a ‘minor procedure’ for an ‘unrelated injury’ to his knee, say the southern province.

Snyman will also visit a knee specialist this week and will not return to training for ‘a number of weeks.’

The Springbok was just seven minutes into his Munster debut last August when he suffered an ACL injury that has kept him out of action until this point. Snyman, 26, was back running in early March but hopes of his return during the Rainbow Cup as planned now look slim.

His fellow Munster lock Thomas Ahern is continuing his return to training from a less serious knee injury this week.

Meanwhile, out-half Jack Crowley, back row Alex Kendellen and wing Conor Phillips are partaking in an IRFU 7s training programme, while scrum-halves Neil Cronin (ACL) and Paddy Patterson (ankle) remain long-term absentees.