Ireland star Henderson primed to make return for Ulster
Iain Henderson hopes to take a giant step towards a Six Nations return when he lines out for Ulster in tonight’s Guinness PRO14 assignment away to Ospreys (Brewery Field, 7.35 pm).
Henderson has been out for the past month as he recovered from surgery on torn ligaments in his thumb which he sustained in a tremendous man-of-the-match performance in the 14-13 win at Welford Road against Leicester.
Henderson packs down beside skipper Alan O’Connor in a game Ulster just have to win if Dan McFarland’s side are to move up the Conference B table where they sit sixth.
Stuart McCloskey will be the latest Ulsterman to make 100 appearances for the province when he lines-out in midfield alongside another centurian Darren Cave.
Ireland scrum-half John Cooney has been released for the game will start alongside the youthful Michael Lowry for the first time at half-back with Angus Kernohan, Louis Ludik and Peter Nelson forming the back three.
Jordi Murphy is another released by the Ireland coaching team and he will feature in a back-row of Nick Timoney and the fit again Clive Ross who comes in for his first start of the season.
Meanwhile, Wales lock Bradley Davies returns for the Ospreys after a four-month lay-off following knee surgery while Samoa prop Jordan Lay will make his debut.
Ospreys: D Evans; Dirksen, Allen, Thomas-Wheeler, Morgan; S Davies (capt), Habberfield; Lay, Baldwin, Botha, Ashley, B Davies, Cracknell, S Cross, J King.
Otten, Jenkins, Fia, Griffiths, McCusker, Aubrey, Price, Giles.
Nelson; Kernohan, Cave, McCloskey, Ludik; Lowry, Cooney; O’Sullivan, Herring, Moore, O’Connor (capt), Henderson, C Ross, J Murphy, N Timoney.
J Andrew, A Warwick, T O’Toole, K Treadwell, S Reidy, D Shanahan, J Hume, R Lyttle.
Quinton Immelman (SARU)
