Munster Rugby skipper Paul O'Connell has been cleared to resume training next week to give him a chance of leading the two-time Heineken Cup champions into their quarter-final clash with Ulster Rugby on Thomond Park on Sunday, 8 April.
The Irish skipper damaged knee ligaments in the draw with France in Paris in the 6 Nations and hasn't been able to play since then. But now he has been given the all-clear to start training he faces a race against time to make the team to face Ulster.
Munster were the only team to go through the Heineken Cup Pool stages unbeaten and as well as O'Connell there have also been injury doubts surrounding scrum half Conor Murray and lock Donnacha Ryan.
"News of injured trio Paul O'Connell, Donnacha Ryan and Conor Murray is positive. Ryan took a limited part in training yesterday, while O'Connell and Murray travelled to Dublin to see a specialist who cleared them for training next week," said a Munster spokesman.
"Ryan would look to be on track for inclusion in the squad for the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster, while O'Connell and Murray's participation will depend on how they come through training."
All three will miss Saturday's night's top of the RaboDirect PRO12 shoot-out with Leinster Rugby at Thomond Park. Ronan O'Gara will lead the side and head coach Tony McGahan also welcomes back three other Irish internationals in Keith Earls, Donncha O'Callaghan and Peter O'Mahony
Munster: Felix Jones; Johne Murphy, Keith Earls, Liefemi Mafi, Simon Zebo; Ronan O'Gara (captain), Tomas O'Leary; Marcus Horan, Damien Varley, BJ Botha; Donncha O'Callaghan, Mick O'Driscoll; Dave O'Callaghan, Peter O'Mahony, James Coughlan
Replacements: Mick Sherry, Wian du Preez, Steve Archer, Billy Holland, Tommy O'Donnell, Duncan Williams, Ian Keatley, Danny Barnes.
