MUNSTER HEAD COACH Johann van Graan was upbeat about the fitness of Simon Zebo after the utility back took a knee knock in the win over Zebre on Sunday.
The province’s injury update yesterday marked Zebo down to undergo a scan after jarring the knee, but van Graan indicated that was merely a precautionary measure, as was the decision to replace him in Parma.
“Simon Zebo is very good actually,” said the former Springbok assistant.
“When I saw him go down I thought, ach we can’t afford to lose him at this stage. He is good, he is in good spirits. He wanted to play on, but I made a decision to take him off.
He is going to be very valuable to us over the next nine weeks and next six months. But he’s fine for this week. He is going for a scan this afternoon to make sure it is 100% sure.”
There are bigger fish to fry than the visit of Ospreys to Cork this weekend, but having Zebo fit and ready for that encounter would be a boost as Van Graan will be already be without Peter O’Mahony, CJ Stander, Conor Murray and Dave Kilcoyne, who are all held back for the clashes with Leicester after their international exertions.
Yesterday’s announcement that Chris Farrell will miss six to eight weeks with a strained medial ligament makes him touch and go to be involved in any of the remaining Champions Cup pool matches. And, even if he does return for Racing 92 in early January, Munster are looking into the back-to-backs against Leicester and the Christmas inter-pros with centre resources thin on the ground thanks to Keith Earls’ hamstring and Jaco Taute sidelined for the majority of the season.
“If I can see one negative at this stage it is we have a lot of injuries,” says Van Graan.
“All teams will have that after the Autumn internationals. Hopefully we will get the bulk of them back early in the New Year.”
Tyler Bleyendaal continues to be managed conservatively for his neck injury too, but there are some positive signs for Munster on top of just the impressive form from Rory Scannell and Sam Arnold in midfield. James Hart suffered just a dead leg in Parma, Duncan Williams is fit to return from shoulder injury and John Ryan and Ian Keatley are available after their international stint.
Tommy O’Donnell, one of three players named in Joe Schmidt’s November squad who suffered injured before the South Africa Test, is due to resume a limited amount of training.
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