Collie O'Shea training with Munster:
http://www.sportsfile.com/id/1195841/Munster running very, very heavy in the second row this season with eight locks in the senior panel. In order of appearances they are:
1. Donnacha Ryan [32 y.o., 146 Munster caps]
2. Billy Holland [31 y.o.*, 131 Munster caps]
3. Dave Foley [28 y.o., 74 Munster caps]
4. Mark Chisholm [34 y.o., 18 Munster caps]/NIE
5. John Madigan [21 y.o., 1 Munster cap]
6. Sean McCarthy [23 y.o., 1 Munster cap]
7. Darren O'Shea [23 y.o., 0 Munster caps]
8. Jean Kleyn [22 y.o., 0 Munster caps]/NIQ
That looks like the sort of squad make-up that Perpignan of 2008-2012 would have gone for!
It doesn't make much sense to me on the macro side of things : while the IRFU are footing the bill for Donnacha Ryan for another season [source:
http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/27971.php#.V6Jjx1fovq0 ], all the other seven lads have to be paid by Munster. That's eight players fighting for two starting jerseys ... a nice situation if you can afford it, but I don't think that Munster are in that situation at the moment.
Ryan is now third choice [at best] in the Irish stakes – behind Toner and Henderson, and maybe behind Dillane too. There's a decent possibility he'll be with Munster for the majority of the season. If so, the balance of probabilities would suggest that it's Ryan +1, i.e. seven players competing for one jersey. Strange squad composition.
*Today, happy birthday Billy!