• Scrum-half’s injury represents blow to his side’s hopes of European glory • CJ Stander set to return from ankle injury for last-four clash in Dublin

Conor Murray has been ruled out of Munster’s Champions Cup semi-final against Saracens in what comes as a major blow to his side’s hopes of European glory and a disruption to Warren Gatland’s plans for the British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand.

Murray is widely considered to be Gatland’s first choice scrum-half this summer but he has not played for club or country since suffering a shoulder and neck injury in Ireland’s Six Nations defeat by Wales on 10 March. Upon naming his 41-man Lions squad on Wednesday, Gatland revealed that Murray would be left at home if he does not return to action before the touring party departs on 29 May.

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Munster have Saturday’s fixture against the defending champions – Rassie Erasmus’s side’s first appearance in the last four for three years – as well as two more regular-season Pro12 matches, and they have also already qualified for the play-offs. But Murray’s absence from the match at the Aviva Stadium will concern Gatland, who revealed on Wednesday that the 27-year-old had recently suffered a setback in his recovery.

There is better news for Munster with the return of CJ Stander, however. He picked up an ankle injury in the previous round against Toulouse, but comes back into the team to line up at No8 in a back row that also includes Peter O’Mahony, who along with Stander was named in Gatland’s Lions squad, and Tommy O’Donnell.

Saracens, meanwhile, have selected all six of their Lions – five of whom are forwards – and O’Donnell is expecting a fierce battle up front.

“They have it all,” he said. “They have a lineout operator as a 6, they have a groundhog, ball-carrying No7, and an incredibly talented ball-carrying No8. They are a quality side with a very balanced back row, two very good second-rows and very mobile props and hooker.”

These sides last met in the European Cup in January 2015 when Saracens triumphed 33-10 at Allianz Park, but O’Donnell believes Munster are a markedly improved side since they went down to that defeat. “We’re definitely playing better than we were in 2015,” he said.

“We’ve more confidence in ourselves, we’ve more confidence in our defence and in our set-piece and that’s what you need, to be confident heading in against Saracens.”

In the second semi-final, on Sunday, Leinster will go up against Clermont in Lyon without the services of Sean O’Brien, who has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Leinster have won the competition three times before – most recently in 2012 – whereas Clermont are attempting to secure the European Cup for the first time, but qualified for the knockout stages as top seeds.

Rhys Ruddock, who replaces O’Brien in back row, said: “We’re well equipped to go over there and put in a performance, but the difficulty of the challenge ahead is massive.”