This could be the last time the 21-year-old plays at the RDS in Connacht colours
Connacht are in rude health ahead of this Friday’s Guinness PRO12 clash with Leinster at the RDS. Pat Lam’s men are hoping to add to their four game winning streak and, in the process, make some history.
The men from the west have not beaten Leinster in successive fixtures since the game turned professional. Their last win in Dublin came in 2002 at Donnybrook. Add those factors together and the odds of Connacht doing the double over their interprovincial rivals lengthen considerably.
Lam’s Connacht are a different breed, however. They are on course for the knock-out stages of the Challenge Cup and a win at the RDS could, depending on other results, propel them to third in the league. They defeated Leinster 10-9 when the two sides met back in September.
Connacht have also been boosted by the return to fitness of Ireland international Robbie Henshaw. The versatile back, a midfield regular this season, has not played since helping Ireland to their Guinness Series sweep in November. His coach is confident he will start against Leinster on Friday.
Henshaw, as was the case last season, has been linked to a move to Leinster ahead of the 2015 World Cup. Speaking at last season’s IRUPA awards, Henshaw commented, ‘Joe Schmidt said he’ll still look at me if I’m playing with Connacht and that, just because we’re not playing in the top European games, I would still be considered. That was great advice and I think he’s happy with me playing in Connacht for the moment.’
When the subject was broached again at Ireland’s World Cup 2023 bid announcement, the Athlone native said he was contracted until 2016 and described reports of an interpro switch as “speculation”.
Were Henshaw to be released from his current contract, Munster would be expected to express an interest. Former Munster flanker, and SportsJOE columnist, David Wallace has stated that Munster ‘should move heaven and earth’ to secure his signature were a move away from Galway a possibility.
Connacht will have Quinn Roux available for selection despite the fact that the South African lock is contracted to Leinster. The province’s other loan signing, John Cooney, will not be allowed play against his parent club (Leinster), leaving the door open for Caolin Blade to press Kieran Marmion for the starting scrum-half role.
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