Following Connacht’s win over Munster on Saturday there was bad news for Connacht Coach Pat Lam with confirmation that three of the stars of Saturday’s win will be out for a minimum of three weeks with worse news for Robbie Henshaw.
Henshaw suffered a metacarpal fracture to his hand in the last play of the game against Munster. He is currently in Dublin for a surgeon review but is likely to be sidelined for up to six weeks.
Loosehead prop Denis Buckley sustained a high ankle sprain in Saturday’s game and is expected to be out of action for three weeks while Back row forward Eoghan Masterson fractured his thumb on Saturday and is also looking at three weeks on the sidelines.
It was also confirmed that openside flanker Nepia Fox-Matamua ruptured his ACL in the game against Brive this month. Surgery on the injury is planned for January and the New Zealander is facing 6 months of rehab.
Second row Andrew Browne continues to recover from the hand injury sustained against Brive. He remains unavailable this week for Cardiff.
Rodney Ah You has returned from New Zealand following the passing of his father. Quinn Roux is now fit and available for the game against Cardiff Blues on Friday night.
Meanwhile, Eoin McKeon, Ben Marshall, and Dave McSharry have all completed the return-to-play protocols following concussion and are available to the coaching team this week.
Connacht face Cardiff on Friday night as they bid to continue their lead at the top of the Guinness Pro 12 Table.