Munster are hopeful that both Jean Kleyn and Tom Ahern will be fit for the start of the new BKT United Rugby Championship season later this month.
Kleyn has been sidelined since late November due to a complicated eye injury, while Ahern missed the URC play-offs due to ankle surgery, which also saw him miss out on a place on Ireland's summer tour of South Africa.
Both players are now in the final stages of their rehab, and assistant coach Mike Prendergast has suggested they could be in contention for the province’s season-opener at home to Connacht on Saturday 21 September.
"As of now we're not 100% sure," the attack coach said.
"They're in the process of being back out on the pitch, more loading in terms of their training etc. They're on the right road, the goal would be hopefully the first game but nothing is guaranteed.
"They are motoring well at the moment. It would be great to have them back."
Kleyn’s absence was certainly felt last season, particularly in the middle third of the season where the province were dealing with a lengthy injury crisis.
The second row came into last season in the form of his life, fresh off winning a World Cup with the Springboks, but suffered an eye injury in his first game back against Leinster, which ultimately ruled him out for the rest of the season.
While the lock also underwent surgery on an existing knee issue during that period, there had been rumours in April that the eye injury was potentially career-threatening, but Prendergast (below) says they were always positive he would return to the province this summer.
"We were pretty confident that he was going to come back but it was just going to take time and unfortunately, he missed the majority of last season," he said.
"I think we got one game against Leinster and then unfortunately he missed the rest of it.
"It’s great to have him back. It’s kind of like a new signing as well. He’s going to come back incredibly fresh. You look back two years ago when we did manage to go on and win the league, he’s a massive part of what we do.
"I couldn’t speak highly enough of him as a player. He’s incredibly honest, his work-rate is non-stop, so to have a guy like Jean Kleyn to come back, and to come back really fresh and hungry, is exciting.
"He’s a World Cup winner. He’s going to bring a huge amount to the group and he’s not too far away."
Prendergast also confirmed it would likely be months rather than weeks before Edwin Edogbo and Roman Salanoa would be in contention to return.
Edogbo is in the process of rehabbing the achilles tear he suffered on St Stephen’s Day against Leinster, while tighthead Salanoa has been out for more than a year with a knee issue.
The province ramped up their pre-season campaign last week with a friendly away to Bath, while they welcome Gloucester to Cork this Friday evening, with new signing Thaakir Abrahams (below) potentially in line for his first appearance.
The Munster attack coach added that it would likely be Rounds 3 and 4 when they can call on their international contingent from Ireland’s summer Test series in South Africa.
Resources at all of the Irish provinces are likely to be stretched thin in the first third of the season.
The Emerging Ireland tour to South Africa in late September will see the provinces lose some players for Rounds 2 and 3 of the URC, while Ireland’s extra Test match against Australia on 30 November falls on a URC weekend, with Munster hosting the Lions that afternoon.
Prendergast says discussions are already happening with the Irish management team around which players could potentially be heading on that Emerging Ireland tour, as they map out who will and will not be available.
"Absolutely, that would be with Graham who would obviously speak to the Irish management.
"No one has been guaranteed or anything, but what we have done is looked at players that potentially will go, and we would look to fill those spots, if we do lose those players.
"If we do then that's good as well because they're getting exposed to another level in terms of international rugby, and for the lads that will step in for them, they'll have been with us training.
"Training has been good, games show you more pictures and there was a small bit to learn on Saturday and there'll be more on Friday.
"In terms of who we will lose, who we will have - we're figuring that out at the moment.
"We know when our internationals are coming back, we've a couple coming back from injury as well. It's about piecing that together over the next few weeks."
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