Mike Haley, CJ Stander, Damian de Allende and RG Snyman all suffered burns

Munster stars injured in fire pit accident

Munster stars Mike Haley, CJ Stander, Damian de Allende and RG Snyman all required treatment for superficial burns following a “fire pit accident” over the weekend, with a report from South Africa saying a “petrol can caught alight and exploded”.

In a post on Munster Rugby’s official website on Monday evening, the side said that Haley and Stander had suffered burns to their hands and were likely return to training this week ahead of Friday night’s Rainbow Cup clash with Zebre. However De Allende and Snyman – who were both named in the Springboks squad for the upcoming British & Irish Lions series – have sustained more substantial burns to their legs, hands and face.

Related: South Africa squad to face the Lions

South African journalist Brendan Nel has since written for Supersport“According to De Allende the players were enjoying themselves at a firepit when ‘one of the guys decided to pour petrol on the fire.’

“The petrol can caught alight and exploded, leaving the players in need of hospital attention.”

The quotes from de Allende in the Supersport piece go on: “We were just sitting around the fire and one of the boys threw a bit of petrol over the fire and then it caught his hand and he just tried to put it down on the floor and then the whole thing caught alight and exploded.

“We should be okay in a few weeks hopefully.”

The South African duo of de Allende and Snyman will not take part in any training or rehabilitation programmes and they will meet a specialist again later in the week, the province has said. There is yet to be an update from the Springboks or their head coach Jacques Nienaber on the incident.

In the Munster statement head coach Johann van Graan added: “We are hugely relieved that the lads are all ok.

“The players have all been treated and are being well looked after with Damian and RG meeting the specialist again later this week to review next steps of their recovery.”

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