"Season-enders" - Munster head coach Clayton McMillan gives injury update on squad

The injuries began to mount up even prior to kick off, as star play-maker Jack Crowley was stood down from the match with a dead leg. The Ireland fly half was reportedly unable to generate any power into his kicks, and was pulled from the game at the last possible moment, with JJ Hanrahan stepping in to replace the out-half. Speaking on this change, McMillan said;

"Obviously Jack pulled out before the game, just not too sure, he's kind of had like a dead leg that just wouldn't go away, couldn't generate any power from it, so we made a call literally in the last minute of the warm-up to pull him, but JJ was ready to go and he jumped in there."

The injuries would not stop there for Munster, as the likes of Jean Kleyn, Calvin Nash, Tadhg Beirne and Oli Jager were all withdrawn from the match by the medical staff. After an initial Head Injury Assesment, Kleyn briefly returned, but only to then sustain a bicep injury. Winger Nash then marked his 100th Munster cap with a hamstring injury, before midfielder Tom Farrell damaged his shoulder.

Ireland lock Tadhg Beirne was next to leave the fray, as the British & Irish Lion suffered a leg injury after a crash landing from being raised to gather the ball. Prop Oli Jager was the last Munster man to depart, with the front rower confirmed to have suffered a concussion against the Ulster pack.

"But there's a few other dings, you know. Tadhg took a bit of a nasty fall there, and he's done something to his leg. JK, John Kleyn, he's done something to his bicep. Calvin Nash, hamstring, Tom Farrell, shoulder, so look, I'd say there's probably two or three season-enders there.”

“Oli, concussion, so you know, I feel for him in particular because he's come back strong and to have another setback is pretty concerning, but yeah, I don't want to jump to any conclusions yet around that."

Focusing in on Beirne, and the experienced Munster captain was up and walking after the match in what is a positive sign for the Red Army faithful. With just two rounds remaining in the regular season of the United Rugby Championship before the play-offs get underway, Beirne would be a tough loss for his province. Thankfully, the second rower's season remains in tact.

“No, he's walking around all right, but something just doesn't feel quite right now, and hopefully that's just, it feels a bit sore and he'll bounce back.”