ULSTER HAVE BEEN dealt a massive blow ahead of the restarted rugby season with news that Iain Henderson will be out for at least eight weeks.
The powerful second row underwent surgery on his hip and the northern province expect him to be sidelined for 8-10 weeks.
Such a timeline would keep Henderson out of not only the business end of the Pro14 season, which begins next weekend, but also the Heineken Champions Cup, in which Ulster travel to take on Toulouse in the quarter-final on 20 September.
Like his fellow Ireland second row James Ryan, Henderson’s recovery timeline would put him in contention for Ireland’s resumed Six Nations and a hectic November schedule.
Also set to put his hip under the knife is prop Andy Warwick with his surgery set for next week.
Will Addison is also marked as a doubt ahead of Ulster’s return to action against Connacht on Sunday week as he rehabs a back injury.
Angus Curtis continues to work his way back from a horror knee injury, but Matt Faddes, Sam Carter (both shoulder), Matty Rea and Greg Jones (both ankle) are returning to full training after recovering from their own surgeries.
Irelands first 3 secondrows injured. That’s not good. I guess toner is getting a few more caps so.
Balls that’s a huge blow for Ulster.
I wonder will we see more injuries overall this year as guys’ conditioning work might not be as strong and there’ll be plenty of people at different levels of fitness.
The S&C team will have their work cut out!
Feel bad for Addison, lovely footballer but he just can’t seem to shake the injuries. Maybe needs a full year sabbatical to get himself right?
@Jim Demps: apparently he had back surgery in April
@Trevor Johnston: hadn’t heard that. Hopefully it clears up for him.
Ryan, Hendo not looking good for Ireland and Beirne carrying a knock. Might give Dillane and Quinn Roux a chance to stake a claim again and Kleyn could get another shot.
@Umpaloompa: Ryan Baird I’d say is ahead of those lads
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Ryan Baird should get good minutes when the provinces return. That will most likely be enough to get him involved. He would have gone on the tour to Australia this Summer let’s not forget.
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Yeah I’d have no prob with Baird getting gametime. The experience would do him great. It would be worth putting him in against Italy and seeing how he goes.
@Umpaloompa: indeed with Ryan, Henderson, and Beirne likely out it surely means Baird and Ross Molony now too getting a look in!
Jeez – why didn’t they decide to this at the start of lockdown??
@Justin Blake: Non-essential operations/hospital stays might’ve been on hold during the lockdown? Maybe they were waiting to see what the fixtures looked like (i.e. could he finish the 2020 season without it and have time to recover for 2021/22? Could it be done between test windows? Etc…)
Hard to tell without knowing when he was injured/found out he’d need the surgery.
Not great timing for Ireland with Ryan also injured.
Why is he only getting surgery on his hip now?? Is this a new injury? Completely pointless article without an injury timeline.