Connacht back Danie Poolman has been ruled out of the Guinness Pro12 derby against Munster at the Sportsground on Saturday evening with a leg injury.
Poolman picked up the injury in the province’s heartbreaking 33-32 defeat by Grenoble in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup on Saturday.
Shane O’Leary left the fray early at the Stade des Alpes but the centre is available for selection.
Out-half Jack Carty is back in contention after recovering from the ruptured spleen he sustained on holidays in Dubai and centre Rory Parata has overcome a knee problem.
Tiernan O’Halloran and AJ McGinty are continuing their rehab and won’t make Saturday’s encounter.
New Ireland defence coach Andy Farrell was an interested spectator at training today, alongside assistant coaches Simon Easterby and Greg Feek.
Capacity for the game has increased to 7,800 due to additional temporary seating installed at the venue, but the match is now officially sold out.
Back-rower Sean O’Brien and his team-mates are fully focused on task in hand as they attempt to secure a top-four finish and a place in the semi-finals.
“We’ve three massive games left,” O’Brien said.
“If we get the right result from each of them, we know that we’re going to go on.
“If we win one, we’ve achieved our goal - top six. If we win two, we’re going to be in the top four semi-final spots, so we’re just taking it week by week.”
Coach Pat Lam is conscious of the challenge Munster will provide and said: “They’ve some quality players, guys with a lot of Test match and big game experience. We’re aware of that.
“We know they’re desperate, we know they also come out physical.
“The conditions look good for the weekend at this stage.
“We’ve got to ask questions and get up and exert our physical presence and our structures and channel that into the way we do things.
“Its going to be a great game.”
