Munster Rugby eye crucial stage in season as Saracens visit Thomond Park

MUNSTER Rugby look to get their Investec Champions Cup campaign back on track this Saturday evening when hosting Premiership side Saracens in a crucial Pool fixture at Thomond Park, 5.30pm kick-off time, live Premier Sport.

Munster currently sit in third place in Pool 2 of the Investec Champions Cup with a win over Stade Francais and a defeat against Castres in their opening two pool fixtures. Munster suffered a disappointing home defeat to Leinster in thier most recent outing in the URC on December 27.

Munster will be hoping to have four key squad members back from injury in time to feature in their crucial Investec Champions Cup clash with Sarries’ next weekend.

Peter O'Mahony (calf contusion), Conor Murray (elbow), Diarmuid Barron (chest), and Jack O'Donoghue (shoulder) all missed out on featuring for Munster in the disappointing defeat to Leinster at a ‘sold out’ Thomond Park.

Munster Rugby will complete their programme of Investec Champions Cup pool fixtures with an away game against Northampton Saints at Cinch Stadium Franklin's Gardens on Saturday week, January 18, 3.15pm kick-off.

Munster confirmed in recent weeks that Thaakir Abrahams (shoulder), Craig Casey (knee) and Jean Kleyn (thigh) have all undergone surgery and have been ruled out for approximately four months.

Meanwhile, all domestic rugby fixtures scheduled to take place at the weekend across Munster were postponed. Munster Rugby confirmed on Friday that ‘due to the adverse weather conditions forecasted, all domestic fixtures scheduled to take place in the province this weekend have been postponed.’

Details of rescheduled dates for these fixtures will be communicated to clubs in due course. An Status Orange warning for snow and ice had been issued by Met Eireann for six counties, including Limerick, to cover the 24-hour period up until yesterday, evening, Sunday, January 5.