Ulster captain Iain Henderson sidelined for months after hip operation

Ulster Rugby announced that captain Iain Henderson will be out for the first part of the upcoming campaign after undergoing hip surgery, sidelining him for several months. The 34-year-old, who collected his last of 86 Ireland caps in a November test against New Zealand, missed the tail end of last season due to a red-card suspension that also kept him from the Challenge Cup final loss to Montpellier in Bilbao. Henderson debuted for Ulster in April 2012 and first represented Ireland against South Africa the same year, later touring twice with the British and Irish Lions.

He was appointed Ulster captain after Rory Best’s retirement in 2019. The province’s season opener against Edinburgh on 25 September will proceed without him, and head coach Richie Murphy also manages other injury recoveries, including Bryn Ward (shoulder), Juarno Augustus (ankle) and Jude Postlethwaite (knee).