It's been seven weeks in recovery for flanker, Chris Henry, who tore his hamstring during Ireland's test win over Samoa in November. Chris had hoped to return to play last week but rolled his ankle two weeks ago which put his recovery a week behind schedule. Today he told us, both ankle and hamstring are feeling good:
"I am busting to get back, it is a lonely place being injured, you are doing your own weights sessions you're missing team sessions and meetings but this week has been really ...
It's been seven weeks in recovery for flanker, Chris Henry, who tore his hamstring during Ireland's test win over Samoa in November. Chris had hoped to return to play last week but rolled his ankle two weeks ago which put his recovery a week behind schedule. Today he told us, both ankle and hamstring are feeling good: "I am busting to get back, it is a lonely place being injured, you are doing your own weights sessions you're missing team sessions and meetings but this week has been really exciting getting back into the mix with everyone." On Saturday, Chris received a last minute call to the RDS in Dublin as Sean Doyle was carrying a bug; even though he wasn't called upon as a replacement, Henry certainly shared the team's frustration from the side line... "We hardly touched the ball going forward in the first half and that's not what this Ulster team is about, we take a lot of pride in our attack and the style of rugby we play. Leinster didn't give us the ball and we couldn't keep the ball which was very frustrating. On the plus side, we have a chance to put things right this week. It's a big game, the inter-pros always bring that extra edge to a match and we just need to put last week to bed and play to our full potential this week." Munster are currently runaway leaders at the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 and sit ten points ahead of Ulster, making this Friday an imminent challenge: "Munster are a very good team, they have a good squad of players and they have a lot of young talent coming through the ranks. I suppose from the games I have watched they remind me of ourselves last year. There are times when they may not put in their best performance but they have ground out a win. We know from the last ten years and watching Ronan O'Gara score drop goals in the last play, that they know how to win games ugly. They are a team that dig in for 80 minutes; they are relentless and never give up. We will have to match that on Friday, we need to start well but that needs to continue for the full 80. They are a passionate side who often talk about dying for their shirt and that's what we need to be like on Friday. "Every game against a side like Munster is going to be physical, but you have got to be dominant at the set piece, scrum and lineout, we have focused massively on that this week. We struggled against Leinster with the speed of our own ruck ball, when we actually had it, and struggled to slow up their ball. Munster have the ability to string a lot of phases together so I would say it will be a big bruising encounter. This week is really a must-win game for us and the pressure is on but hopefully we will be able to deliver. " Tickets for upcoming Ulster Rugby home fixtures are available from www.ulsterrugby.com/tickets.
It's been seven weeks in recovery for flanker, Chris Henry, who tore his hamstring during Ireland's test win over Samoa in November. Chris had hoped to return to play last week but rolled his ankle two weeks ago which put his recovery a week behind schedule. Today he told us, both ankle and hamstring are feeling good: "I am busting to get back, it is a lonely place being injured, you are doing your own weights sessions you're missing team sessions and meetings but this week has been really exciting getting back into the mix with everyone." On Saturday, Chris received a last minute call to the RDS in Dublin as Sean Doyle was carrying a bug; even though he wasn't called upon as a replacement, Henry certainly shared the team's frustration from the side line... "We hardly touched the ball going forward in the first half and that's not what this Ulster team is about, we take a lot of pride in our attack and the style of rugby we play. Leinster didn't give us the ball and we couldn't keep the ball which was very frustrating. On the plus side, we have a chance to put things right this week. It's a big game, the inter-pros always bring that extra edge to a match and we just need to put last week to bed and play to our full potential this week." Munster are currently runaway leaders at the top of the RaboDirect PRO12 and sit ten points ahead of Ulster, making this Friday an imminent challenge: "Munster are a very good team, they have a good squad of players and they have a lot of young talent coming through the ranks. I suppose from the games I have watched they remind me of ourselves last year. There are times when they may not put in their best performance but they have ground out a win. We know from the last ten years and watching Ronan O'Gara score drop goals in the last play, that they know how to win games ugly. They are a team that dig in for 80 minutes; they are relentless and never give up. We will have to match that on Friday, we need to start well but that needs to continue for the full 80. They are a passionate side who often talk about dying for their shirt and that's what we need to be like on Friday. "Every game against a side like Munster is going to be physical, but you have got to be dominant at the set piece, scrum and lineout, we have focused massively on that this week. We struggled against Leinster with the speed of our own ruck ball, when we actually had it, and struggled to slow up their ball. Munster have the ability to string a lot of phases together so I would say it will be a big bruising encounter. This week is really a must-win game for us and the pressure is on but hopefully we will be able to deliver. " Tickets for upcoming Ulster Rugby home fixtures are available from www.ulsterrugby.com/tickets.