Munster's less than stellar start to the new season took another slight bump today after it emerged that their new back row Robin Copeland may have to wait to make his debut after he had his passport stolen. The Wexford born utility forward joined from Cardiff in the summer and was expected to make his debut this weekend during the away game with Treviso.
Copeland was forced to sit out Munster's disappointing opening day defeat to Edinburgh with a rib injury and now it looks like he may have to wait a bit longer after his car was broken into on Tuesday night.
Having your passport stolen along with all your kit, boots and other belongings the day before your about to travel is not fun! ????????????
— Robin Copeland (@robocopey) September 10, 2014
According to the Irish Times, a spokesperson for Munster has said that all may not be lost if a trip to the passport office bears fruit.
We are in the process of trying to secure a new passport for Robin, but we don’t know if we’ll be able to get one in time.
This is just the latest in a serious of hiccups which have dogged the province in the opening weeks of the new season. The widely reported dossier leak was followed by that unexpected home defeat to Edinburgh. While star signing Tyler Bleyendaal's Munster career is in doubt after it was confirmed that he will undergo a season ending operation on a neck injury which was suffered while playing for Canterbury in his native New Zealand.
Whether Copeland is on board or not remains to be seen, but Munster will be aiming to halt their early blip against Treviso on Friday evening.
