Connacht’s improving injury list could not have come at a better time has Pat Lam’s squad heads into crunch Pro12 and European fixtures this month.
Three players Peter Robb, Danie Poolman, and James Connolly are fit and available for Sunday's pivotal Pro12 fixture with leaders Scarlets, while two Ireland squad members, Robbie Henshaw and Denis Buckley, should be back in action later this month.
"There were no major injuries following the Leinster match, which was good. Denis Buckley is out of his moon boot, and will hopefully be ready for the return Scarlets match at the end of the month, possibly Enisei, which is the target date for him, while Robbie [Henshaw] has an X-ray on the 12th [next Tuesday] and hopefully, on the back of that, he will be good to go."
Centre Robb, one of two players elevated from Academy to a senior contract this week, has cleared return-to-play protocols after concussion in the European loss to Newcastle last month, while winger Poolman and flanker Connolly have recovered from rib and hamstring injuries respectively.
Key fixtures
It is a timely boost for
Connacht
ahead of key fixtures, and provides Lam with more options, particularly in the backrow following the return last week of former New Zealand U-20 captain Jake Heenan after 10 months’ recovery from shoulder reconstruction.
Despite losing the last three Pro12 fixtures, Lam insists Connacht remain in a good place.
“Everyone has played 11 games bar Glasgow and Leinster, so we got to the halfway mark and we are third, two points off the top with nine teams covered by 12 or 13 points. What a great competition.
Much at stake
“There are lot of positives for us . . . The bottom line is we have an end goal where we need to get to at the end of the year.
“We currently sit third on the table, two points from the top, so the question is: are we on track at the moment to get to our goal, remembering all the injuries we have had and remembering the time of the year, are we still in touch? Yeah we are in a good place.”
With the Scarlets clinging on to pole position after their fourth defeat in both competitions last weekend, there is much at stake for both sides in Parc y Scarlets on Sunday.
“They have quality players, they have a big squad, are well coached and they have been leading, between us and them, throughout the competition, so it’s going to be a good game.
“. . . It’s not make or break, but it has importance in the context of where everyone sits, so it is important we focus on the process to give ourselves a chance.”
While Connacht await Henshaw’s contract decision for next season, Lam is continuing to add to his squad – the latest being the promotion of both Robb and Galwegian flanker Sean O’Brien this week from the Academy. Lam said Robb has made “massive progress”, while O’Brien has a “big future” ahead of him.
