Munster’s Snyman fears confirmed as Kings drop out

MUNSTER’S worst fears were confirmed yesterday when a scan on RG Snyman revealed the giant South African had torn his ACL and faces a long period out of the game. The World Cup-winning second row sustained the significant damage to his knee after just seven minutes of their narrow loss to Leinster at the Aviva last weekend and the injury comes as a huge blow to Johann van Graan’s side, who were looking to Snyman as a key enforcer in their pack this season. The bad news was compounded by injuries to fellow South African (Irish qualified) second row Jean Kleyn and prop Dave Kilcoyne, who have both been ruled out for the immediate future, which is likely to affect their Ireland hopes in the autumn. With Tadhg Beirne also recovering from injury, it leaves Van Graan with something of a crisis at second row but opens the door for Ireland Under-20 star Thomas Ahern, who should get an opportunity at senior level, hoping to emulate the progress of Ryan Baird with Leinster. Meanwhile, the Southern Kings have officially withdrawn from the Pro14 and all domestic rugby in South Africa, saying continuing is impossible due to their financial struggles on the back of the Covid-19 crisis. ‘Following several weeks of interrogation of the Kings’ financial state of affairs we were left with a straightforward choice,’ said Andre Rademan, chairman of the Port Elizabeth-based club yesterday. ‘We could opt to field the Kings in the domestic competitions mooted by SA Rugby for the sport’s post-lockdown resumption if we so wished. ‘If we did so, it would require additional loans to the Kings or extra investment from the shareholders to the tune of R6.5 million (€330,000), which would add to the organisation’s existing substantial debt.’