Tommy Bowe delights as Ulster’s Iain Henderson sees red card rescinded

Tommy Bowe last night spoke of Ulster’s huge relief at having in-form forward Iain Henderson free to play again this weekend.

Ulster’s bid for a Guinness Pro12 home semi-final received a significant boost yesterday when Henderson’s red card against Munster was rescinded.

The northern province had risked being without their Ireland flanker for the rest of the season after referee Nigel Owens sent him off for foul play at Ravenhill as the interprovincial clash neared its climax.

Henderson had cleared out Munster replacement Ronan O’Mahony at a 72nd minute ruck and Owens, having watched video replays on the stadium big screen, decided the Ulster forward had dangerously led with his head, making contact with his opponent’s head.

Henderson appeared before an independent Pro12 Rugby Disciplinary Committee yesterday, which decided the Ulsterman’s initial contact had been with his arm rather than his head and that the act did not warrant a red card, clearing the Irishman to resume playing immediately.

That came as a massive relief to the province as they prepare to go to Glasgow Warriors on Saturday in search of a bonus-point win that could lift them into the league top-two and earn them a home semi-final.

“It’s enormous,” Bowe said last night at the IRUPA Awards in Dublin. “We’re delighted not just for us as a team bit also for Hendy. He’s not a malicious player but he certainly gets stuck in and he’s been playing out of his skin the last couple of weeks.

“To have him playing the next couple of weeks into the knockout stages of the competition will be huge for us.”