Ulster are hoping to have Iain Henderson back in their match-day squad for the first time in nearly four months as they prepare for Friday night’s crunch clash at Glasgow Warriors.
The 24-year-old suffered a significant hamstring injury in the early minutes of Ulster’s home game with Edinburgh, at the start of December, which required surgery and forced the versatile forward to miss the Six Nations.
But Henderson – whose season was initially thought to be over – has recovered well and was set to return to action at some point in the closing stages of this campaign though being lined up for a possible return for Friday is a huge and timely boost for director of rugby Les Kiss as Ulster ready themselves return to Scotstoun where they lost twice last season with their second defeat coming in a dramatic close to the league semi-final.
The currently fourth-placed northern province face a challenging run-in to secure a play-off place and have the Warriors and Munster breathing down their necks, just four points behind, with Gregor Townsend’s side having a game in hand.
“He is right in the mix at this stage,” Kiss said of Henderson.
“If everything comes up rosy (from training) then he is in that mix,” said the Australian who knows Ulster need to bank more wins – they fell to both Cardiff Blues and the Scarlets and only just beat the Warriors and the Dragons in the last six-game segment – with just five regulation games remaining.
There was also positive news on Tommy Bowe’s progress as Kiss reckoned that the winger’s first action in an Ulster shirt this season is not too far off after the 32-year-old suffered a posterior cruciate ligament injury at the World Cup.
“He is getting closer and closer and for the nature of the injury he had it’s just about being really careful about when he comes back with everything full tilt.
“He is taking contact in a really strong way now so he can play rugby but it’s about getting the timing right and he is probably a little bit behind Hendy,” Kiss said while also stating that the deployment of Ireland players Rory Best, Andrew Trimble and Jared Payne is likely to be in next week’s hosting of PRO12 leaders Connacht.
However, Dan Tuohy’s season is over after he required another procedure on the ankle the second row fractured in December though Ulster are still hoping that tight-head prop Wiehahn Herbst will return for mid-April’s trip to Zebre after he picked up a toe injury at Saracens in January.
