Glasgow Warriors' rivals dealt big injury blow ahead of 2026/27 URC opener

Fly-half Jack Crowley is set to be out until January at the earliest, meaning the Ireland international will miss the visit of Glasgow Warriors to Thomond Park in Round One of the competition. The 26-year-old, who has been capped 35 times by his country and was part of the 2023 Six Nations Grand Slam winning side, has been out since April with a lower limb vascular injury.

It has now been confirmed by the Irish club that, having been assessed by specialists, the Cork native will not be able to return until the new year. It leaves the 2023 URC champions potentially light for cover at stand-off with new signing Will Harrison having suffered a reaggravation of a knee injury in pre-season.

Glasgow Warriors’ opponents see stand-off options depleted with Ireland ace ruled out and new signing ‘being managed’

The Australian is ‘being managed’ by the club’s medical department and it’s unclear if he will be available for the match against Warriors on September 26. It leaves them with just experienced former Clermont and Northampton Saints utility-back JJ Hanrahan as their only senior option at 10.

“Jack Crowley is a very important player for Munster and Ireland with a big future in the game and ensuring he gets back to 100% is the priority,” said head coach Clayton McMillan. “Will Harrison’s injury is a frustrating one for him because he has come into a new environment and made an immediate impression, but the reaggravation is a setback and we want to make sure he’s in the best possible condition before he takes the field.

“We have a good mix of experience and youth available in the out-half position with JJ Hanrahan and Academy men Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea. JJ has played 160 games for Munster and is our third-highest points-scorer of all-time so he is a player we know we can count on.

“Tom Wood and Charlie O’Shea are very exciting young players who have come up through the Munster pathway and excelled with the Ireland U20s last season.”

There is also positive injury news for Munster with four players having undergone successful surgeries and expected to be back for the opening rounds of the new URC season. Ireland international winger Calvin Nash along with lock Edwin Edogbo, centre Tom Farrell and back rower Ruadhán Quinn are all making their returns and will hope to be ready in time to face Franco Smith’s Warriors.

“The players enjoyed important time off with family and friends over the summer and came back in really refreshed, full of energy and in really good physical condition,” added McMillan. “That has allowed us to hit the ground running when pre-season started last month and spending a number of days together in France is a great opportunity for the team and management to make another big step forward ahead of the new season and consolidate all the progress we have made.”

Glasgow Warriors travel to Thomond Park for their opening match of the 2026/27 URC season on Saturday, September 26. The match is scheduled for a 5:30pm kick off.

Your next rugby read: Scotstoun still out of bounds but Glasgow Warriors insist pre-season disruption 'very minimal'