Munster may look to recall one or more players from the Emerging Ireland tour due to the injury toll the start of the season has exacted on the Reds squad.

Graham Rowntree is waiting for news on the injuries suffered by Peter O'Mahony (hamstring), Calvin Nash, Oli Jager and Mike Haley in Saturday's win over Ospreys.

Shane Daly (elbow) and Thaakir Abrahams (leg) picked up injuries at Zebre, while of the experienced trio Billy Burns, Dave Kilcoyne and Alex Nankivell who missed last weekend, Nankivell is most likely to be involved after a shoulder problem.

READ MORE:Munster Rugby must lean into Croke Park novelty factor v Leinster - Graham Rowntree

READ MORE:URC Irish Team of the Week: Conan, Casey and Forde lead the way for the provinces

But the province's selection depth chart has been badly affected by their extensive casualty list and Rowntree may need to bolster his squad from South Africa, where Reds' back row Alex Kendellen is captaining Emerging Ireland.

"Potentially, yeah," said Rowntree. "I don't think we'll be the only province looking at that."

Seven Munster players were in the squad that faced Western Force yesterday. But Rowntree intends to keep blooding young players as he says it is the only way forward for the Reds, and after praising the contribution of try-scoring Shay McCarthy and Bryan Fitzgerald in Saturday's victory.

"I'd say now more than ever the League is attritional," he remarked. "Look at the bodies that we're showing, a healthy squad and a big squad and young men coming through.

"Costy (Ian Costello, Munster's Head of Rugby Operations) spoke about our pathway, that has to happen, that's our only chance, we have to bring these young men through as soon as possible.

"And I think the quality of the League is stronger than ever. We've got the trip to South Africa coming up, we're not looking beyond next week, but what you can gain in South Africa takes a huge way in the play-offs, the points you can accrue in South Africa. But that's a problem for eight days' time."

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