Connacht Issue Injury Update Ahead Of PRO12 Opener

Following a shoulder injury sustained with Nottingham last season, new Connacht prop Conor Carey has returned to full training and is due to be available for selection next week.

Academy prop Conan O’Donnell is nearing a return as he continues to rehab from the foot injury that kept him out of the World Rugby Under-20 Championship during the summer. Nathan White is continuing his recovery from a head injury arising from concussion sustained last season.

Second rows Quinn Roux (hip) and Andrew Browne (thigh) are undergoing rehab with the province’s medical and fitness team for their injuries sustained in pre-season. They remain unavailable for selection for two to three weeks.

Ben Marshall is continuing his recovery from a head injury arising from concussion sustained last seaso, while Academy locks Cian Romaine, Peter Claffey and Cillian Gallagher are all unavailable to the senior coaching team due to respective injuries.

Back rowers Jake Heenan (hand) and Sean O’Brien (ankle) are both undergoing rehab with the medical and fitness team for their injuries sustained in pre-season. Both players are due to return in early October
Eoghan Masterson (knee) is continuing his recovery from last season’s knee surgery and is due to return in December.

Meanwhile, scrum half John Cooney (shoulder) is nearing a return to partial training with the Connacht squad as he returns from the injury he sustained in last May’s GUINNESS PRO12 final.

Craig Ronaldson (thigh) is progressing well as he recovers from his pre-season injury and is due to return in late September/early October, while fellow out-half option Marnitz Boshoff will arrive in Ireland in November following the completion of the Currie Cup competition.

Of the back-three players in the squad, Darragh Leader (hand) has undergone surgery on his hand injury and will return in February.