Munster Rugby suffer injury blows ahead of URC play-off with Ospreys at Thomond Park

MUNSTER Rugby have suffered a number of injury blow ahead of Friday evening's big United Rugby Championship play-off fixture with the Ospreys at Thomond Park, 7.35pm.

Munster have confirmed that centre Rory Scannell is to undergo surgery next week after suffering an ankle injury against Ulster which resulted in him being replaced during the interprovincial derby.

The URC holders also report that Tom Ahern suffered an ankle/lower leg injury in the win over Ulster and will go for a scan today. Munster have revealed that Ahern is 'unavailable for the coming weeks'.

Meanwhile, Joey Carbery, who impressed when introduced as a replacement on Saturday evening at Thomond Park, suffered a thumb injury in the game and will be unavailable this week for the meeting with the Ospreys.

On a positive note for Munster, centre Antoine Frisch (leg/groin), hooker Diarmuid Barron (foot) and prop Josh Wycherley (face) all return to training this week.

It has also been revealed that since tickets went on sale on Sunday for the quarter-final, more than 9,000 have already been snapped up.

Friday night's quarter-final is a first home play-off fixture for Munster in the URC since 2019.

Continuing to rehab: Dave Kilcoyne (shoulder), Roman Salanoa (knee), Jean Kleyn (knee/eye), Paddy Patterson (knee), Patrick Campbell (shoulder), Alex Nankivell (ankle).