Henshaw set to return from injury
Supporters of Connacht and Ireland received some good news this morning (Wednesday) when it emerged that Athlone's Robbie Henshaw is likely to return to competitive action for the province this weekend.
The 22-year-old was also named today in Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt's 35-man squad for the opening two rounds of the RBS Six Nations Championship.
He had been sidelined since late November as a result of a fractured hand sustained during a memorable win away to Munster.
Connacht have now confirmed that Robbie is likely to line out against Russian Side Enisei-STM in Galway at the weekend.
'Pending a surgical review and sign off on Friday, Ireland international Robbie Henshaw will be available to play against Enisei-STM at the Sportsground on Saturday,' stated Connacht in an update issued this morning.
The Connacht team to face Enisei-STM will be named at noon on Friday, and the game will get underway at 3pm on Saturday.
Ireland's Six Nations campaign begins at home against Wales in a little over a fortnight's time (February 7).
The Irish squad announced today is as follows:
IRELAND 2016 RBS 6 Nations Squad Round 1 & 2
Forwards (19)
Rory Best (Banbridge/Ulster) (c)
Sean Cronin (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
James Cronin (Dolphin/Munster)
Ultan Dillane (Corinthians/Connacht)*
Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)
Jamie Heaslip (Dublin University/Leinster) (vc)
Rob Herring (Ballynahinch/Ulster)
Mike McCarthy (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jack McGrath (St. Mary's College/Leinster)
Martin Moore (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Sean O'Brien (UCD/Leinster)
Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Rhys Ruddock (St Mary's College/Leinster)
Donnacha Ryan (Shannon/Munster)
CJ Stander (Munster)*
Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster)
Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)*
Nathan White (Connacht)
Backs (16)
Keith Earls (Young Munster/Munster)
Luke Fitzgerald (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht)
Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster)
David Kearney (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Rob Kearney (UCD/Leinster)
Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Kieran Marmion (Corinthians/Connacht)
Luke Marshall (Ballymena/Ulster)
Stuart McCloskey (Ballynahinch/Ulster)*
Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)
Jared Payne (Ulster)
Eoin Reddan (Lansdowne/Leinster)
Jonathan Sexton (St Mary's College/Leinster)
Andrew Trimble (Ballymena/Ulster)
Simon Zebo (Cork Con/Munster)