O'Leary named in Munster panel

MUNSTER COACH Tony McGahan has added Tomás O'Leary to an extended panel, now 26 players, after the scrumhalf proved his rehabilitation…

MUNSTER COACH Tony McGahan has added Tomás O'Leary to an extended panel, now 26 players, after the scrumhalf proved his rehabilitation from injury at training sessions on Wednesday afternoon and yesterdayy morning, writes John O'Sullivan

O'Leary will be in contention for a place in the province's Heineken Cup pool match against Sale at Edgeley Park on Sunday.

McGahan explained: "We gave Tomás (O'Leary) a couple of days to fit in.

"He came through Wednesday where he did a little bit of work and then yesterday morning's session."

READ MORE

The Australian confirmed that he intended giving all three of the players trying to recover from injury, O'Leary, centre Rua Tipoki and Ian Dowling (dead leg) until lunch-time today.

All three he rated as 50/50 with regard to their potential participation. The team will be announced today.

Meanwhile Munster's opponents Sale had mixed fortunes in terms of yesterday's ERC disciplinary hearings in Dublin.

Second row Kris Ormsby was suspended for one week - thereby missing Sunday's game against Munster - by an independent disciplinary committee, but Rudi Keil is available for selection after being found not guilty of the cited offence of striking Benoit Baby.

The independent disciplinary committee, which was chaired by Mark McParland (Ireland) and included Rob Flockhart (Scotland) and Simon Thomas (Wales), decided that Ormsby was guilty of foul play in terms of a dangerous charge on Clermont Auvergne second row Julien Pierre.

The offence was deemed a low level transgression and so a one-week ban was imposed.