CHRIS FARRELL IS highly unlikely to be available to Munster for their crucial Heineken Champions Cup clash with Gloucester on Friday after suffering a right knee injury.

The 25-year-old picked up the injury in the closing stages of Munster’s win over Connacht last weekend.

Farrell has had a torrid time with injuries. Source: Laszlo Geczo/INPHO

Farrell is set to undergo scans on the knee and will be anxiously awaiting the results, with the Six Nations less than a month away.

The outside centre has endured a torrid time physically in the recent past, returning from a long-term ACL injury this season only to miss a number of weeks with a thigh complaint.

Munster will be hopeful this fresh knee issue does not sideline Farrell for long.

More positively for Johann van Graan’s side, openside flanker Chris Cloete will be reintegrated into team training this week as he closes in on a return from the neck injury he suffered against Leinster two weekends ago.

John Ryan has been cleared to train too, having come through the HIA process after being “removed as a precaution for a head injury assessment” against Connacht, according to Munster.

JJ Hanrahan is a major doubt to be involved against Gloucester and could be missing for several weeks as he is currently being assessed by the province’s medical department for a hip injury.

Captain Peter O’Mahony and centre Dan Goggin are expected to be fit this weekend after sustaining knocks against Connacht last time out.