Connacht facing crisis as key duo out for months

Connacht have been rocked by a massive double injury blow with news that flanker Jake Heenan and hooker Sean Henry are both expected to miss most of the season.

Heenan missed the last four months of last season with a dislocated shoulder and is now expected to miss the next four to five months with a recurrence of the same injury, sustained in his first competitive action back, against Dragons. Henry also missed the second half of last season after he underwent surgery on a neck disc injury, but is expected to be ruled out for the rest of the season because of a suspected cruciate ligament knee injury sustained in a collapsed scrum.

Sligo native Heenan was due to undergo a scan last night, but according to Pat Lam, the early signs were that he had indeed ruptured his ACL in Friday’s win against Edinburgh — just his second game back.

Both injuries are huge blows to Connacht, due to the lack of depth in their squad. Willie Faloon is now the only fit natural open-side flanker in the squad, while hooker Jason Harris Wright’s injury and the late arrival of new signing Tom McCartney may see Lam turn to academy player Jack Dineen for cover.

“Jake Heenan is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday Septemer 24, and will be out for around four to five months, so it is a big loss. We saw last year, young Eoghan Masterson had to come out (of the academy) early and play out of position but it is not his natural position. We will have to cover with the older guys like we did last week with Eoin McKeon and John Muldoon,” said Lam.

“Cover for the hooker position at the moment is Jack Dineen, at year one in the academy, and Shane Delahunt who is only in the sub-academy. Both of them are young boys but obviously with Tom McCartney, Jason Harris-Wright and Sean not available, it is a big blow,” Lam said.

Meanwhile, winger Danie Poolman also suffered a blow to the head against Edinburgh and he will be unavailable for the game against Leinster.