South African lock re-ruptured his ACL in October 2021
South Africa second-row RG Snyman is set to return for Munster following 16 months out injured after being named on the bench for Friday’s URC match against the Scarlets.
The World Cup winner last featured for the province in October 2021 when he re-ruptured his ACL against the same opposition. The 28-year-old, who stands at 6ft 10in, had only just made his comeback from the original cruciate tear he suffered on his Munster debut in 2020.
The match will be Snyman’s first at Musgrave Park and just his fifth in total for Graham Rowntree’s side since his move from Japanese team Mie Honda Heat in 2020.
Munster defence coach Denis Leamy praised Snyman’s character to bounce back from successive soul-destroying injuries.
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RG Snyman: Coach’s view
He explained: “He is a remarkable person in that he’s 6ft 10in and he’s lean as lettuce. He can run like the wind and he’s got the ball-handling ability of a basketballer. So, he is a remarkable rugby player.
“We don’t see these guys very often but I think he has inspired everyone in the building, just the way he has applied himself. Getting cruciate ligament injuries is so difficult. To get another one straight away after coming back is incredibly difficult.
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“You can’t understand how difficult that is and to go about his business day-to-day, get a couple of setbacks within that and still go trucking on, I think that’s really testament to the person he is.”
Musgrave Park in Cork has an artificial 4G surface and but Leamy insists there are no qualms about reintroducing the lock on the pitch after a torrid run of knee injuries.
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He said: “I don’t think there is enough evidence to suggest that there is a great danger in playing RG or any players on 4G pitches.
“So, no, we haven’t considered that. All we know is, he’s trucking well over the last couple of weeks. He’s back in a position for selection and we feel like it’s time to have a good discussion around whether this Friday night is the right time or maybe to push him out further another week.
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“But the fact we are playing on an artificial pitch versus a grass pitch, that’s not something that has come into the discussion.”
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