Munster trained in atrocious conditions in the Sports Bowl at UL and afterwards, Declan Kidney named a 26 strong squad for the round 5 game against Clermont Auvergne. It was a question of addding Ferderico Pucciariello, Denis Leamy, Alan Quinlan and Kieran Lewis to the 22 selected to play against Ulster with Quinlan returning from the wrist injury that has seen him sidelined since the Dragons game in late November and Pucciariello back after missing the trip north because of a slight hamstring strain.

Two of those named in the squad, John Hayes and Paul O'Connell did not take part in the afternoon session while Anthony Horgan remained in Cork to have treatment to a hamstring strain. Hayes cried off the afternoon session with cold symptons while O'Connell continues to rehab the back injury that has plagued him since the World Cup.

With O'Connell it is, as Kidney explained a question of monitoring his recovery on a daily basis, " We've gone the route of doing a strength and conditioning programme for five or six weeks and see how that worked out. Paul did exceptionally well to play for his club last weekend and then in the game we had on the Sunday. He came through the weekend fine but it's still a case of taking it day by day."

Munster will have a final run-out in Limerick on Friday before flying out to Clermont from Shannon on Saturday morning.

The starting XV and replacements will be announced tomorrow at lunchtime.

Munster Squad:  Shaun Payne, Doug Howlett, Brian Carney, Anthony Horgan, Kieran Lewis, Rua Tipoki, Lifeimi Mafi, Ronan O'Gara, Paul Warwick, Peter Stringer, Tomas O'Leary, Marcus Horan, Frank Sheahan, Jerry Flannery, Tony Buckley, John Hayes, Federico Pucciariello, Donncha O'Callaghan, Mick O'Driscoll, Paul O'Connell, Alan Quinlan, Niall Ronan, Donnacha Ryan, David Wallace, Denis Leamy, Anthony Foley.