Injury rules Marcus Horan out for Munster and Ireland
Irish prop Marcus Horan will miss Munster’s Magners League match with Treviso at Thomond Park on Friday 22 October.
The forward broke his hand during a conditioning session at the gym earlier in the week. The prop is now expected to be out of action for four to six weeks and will miss Ireland’s autumn internationals against South Africa, Samoa, New Zealand and Argentina.
Irish coach Declan Kidney is now expected to call up a replacement for the Irish loose-head prop with own Cian Healy left in the 34 man panel that is a specialist in the position.
Munster have picked Wian Du Preez to replace the injured Horan for the match against Treviso, while Damien Varley will keep his position as hooker.
Varley was expected to drop to the bench for the game, but Jerry Flannery injured his calf muscle when he came on as a substitute in last week’s Heineken Cup win against Toulon.
The Ireland international flew to Liverpool to see a specialist and the hooker may now miss the autumn series like Horan.
Munster have decided to rest some of their internationals and Denis Leamy, Donnacha O’Callaghan and Niall Ronan will not start the game.
However, it is the injury to Horan that will be a cause of concern for Munster coach Tony McGahan.
The player has had a bad run of injuries of late and it is a bitter blow for Horan who had just re-established himself over Healy.
The prop is a key player for the Munster front row. Horan is solid in the scrum and his mobility allows him to contribute in the loose.
Kidney and McGahan will be aware that they do not have a replacement with as good a technique in the scrum as Horan and the international and provincial will miss his front row play.
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