Ireland and Munster second row Paul O’Connell will be sidelined for six months in order to recover from back surgery he underwent in Cork yesterday.
O’Connell will miss Munster’s Celtic League campaign, their pre-Christmas Heineken Cup group matches, Ireland's World Cup qualification programme and the autumn internationals against Australia, Fiji and Argentina.
Donncha O'Callaghan and Mick O'Driscoll are now Munster's only recognised second row forwards as Mick Galwey is semi-retired. Manager Jerry Holland said today that a new second row forward was a priority.
He said: "We are searching for a replacement even though we acknowledge it's at the end of the year and it's a question of who is available."
