Connacht sweat on Heenan fitness

Connacht’s influential young flanker Jake Heenan will be fitness tested today ahead of Saturday’s penultimate Heineken Cup fixture with Zebre.

Heenan, sidelined with a shoulder injury after Connacht’s victory over the Dragons, missed both Christmas interprovincials, but coach Pat Lam says the special project player is expected to be fit against the Italians this weekend.

Out-half Craig Ronaldson is also hoping to come through today’s session, while full-back Gavin Duffy has recovered from his shoulder strain and, alongside Frank Murphy, is available.

Captain Craig Clarke suffered a neck strain, but the former Super 15 winning captain is expected to recover for the Pool 3 fixture. Lam says the return of some injured players is a boost in their bid to bag a third pool win and keep their hopes in the competition alive.

Although they have never lost to Zebre and recorded a 33-6 victory in round two, Lam says games between the two have traditionally been tight, and Zebre’s win over Treviso in the Pro 12 last weekend would have given them confidence ahead of the game.

Joint pool leaders on 15 points, Toulouse and Saracens, face up in France — thus ensuring Connacht need to maintain their unbeaten record over Zebre to ensure they have something to play for in the last round against Saracens.