Munster have added an extra 22 players to their Champions Cup squad - and all are under the age of 21.
Johann van Graan has flooded his panel with young guns following the Covid disruption that has ripped through his playing roster, both at home and in Cape Town, ahead of Sunday's Heineken Cup opener at Wasps on Sunday.
In agreement with the Leagues and Unions participating in the tournament, organisers EPCR had arranged for the deadline for player registration to be extended to Wednesday at noon.
And on the day that Scarlets felt compelled to forfeit their weekend clash with Bristol Bears, Munster have added a group of inexperienced players to their squad to bolster the senior internationals who will definitely be involved in Coventry.
Tony Butler, Patrick Campbell and the injured Edwin Edogbo, who all recently joined the province's academy, are among the new additions although Edogbo is currently injured.
The remaining 19 players registered are either NTS (National Talent Squad) or PTS (Provincial Talent Squad) members.
The majority of the 22 have featured for their clubs in the opening rounds of the All Ireland League, and 15 players lined out for a Munster Development XV in fixtures against Ulster and Leinster earlier this season.
Those players include the Academy trio along with John Forde, Alessandro Heaney, Darragh McSweeney, Dylan Murphy, Fearghail O’Donoghue, Jack O’Sullivan, Kieran Ryan, George Coomber, Alan Flannery, Darragh French, Adam Maher and Jamie Shanahan.
Peter Hyland, Andrew O’Mahony and Jack Oliver all lined out for the Munster U19s in September during the Interprovincial Championship.
Forwards:
Edwin Edogbo (lock)
John Forde (back-row forward)
Nicky Greene (back-row forward)
Alessandro Heaney (loosehead prop)
Peter Hyland (back-row forward)
Jack Kelleher (back-row forward)
Darragh McCarthy (tighthead prop)
Darragh McSweeney (tighthead prop)
Conor Moloney (back-row forward)
Dylan Murphy (hooker)
Fearghail O’Donoghue (back-row forward)
Jack O’Sullivan (back-row forward)
Kieran Ryan (loosehead prop)
Backs:
Tony Butler (out-half)
Patrick Campbell (full-back/winger)
George Coomber (winger)
Alan Flannery (centre)
Darragh French (centre)
Adam Maher (scrum-half)
Andrew O’Mahony (scrum-half)
Jack Oliver (scrum-half)
Jamie Shanahan (winger)
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