Les Kiss delivers mixed bag on the Ulster injury front

The South African who joined Ulster as an Irish project is into his second season, but has been hit with a serious of injury woes.

He suffered a toe injury and saw a surgeon earlier this week. However, the good news for Herbst was that he did not require surgery and he will hopefully return for the back end of the season.

Meanwhile, director of rugby Les Kiss, said Iain Henderson received good news from the surgeon on his long term hamstring injury.

The Irish lock, one of the stars of the Rugby World Cup last year, tore a hamstring against Edinburgh in the PRO12 in December.

There were fears he could miss the remainder of the season and although the news may have been good this week, Kiss said ‘no definitive return time’ could be given.

And that was the same response to when Irish winger Tommy Bowe would return after knee surgery.

“Tommy is well and truly underway in terms of the work he is doing on the leg. He is on track well but we just cannot put a date on a return yet,” said Kiss.

Meanwhile, Chris Henry, Kyle McCall and Ruan Pienaar will miss this weekend’s PRO12 game in Treviso.

Henry suffered a shoulder injury against Oyonnax and although he is making good progress Kiss expected it to be another week before he returned.

McCall and Pienaar are both expected to be rested for the Italan trip.

“Ruan was ill last week and it was a pretty taxing illness,” said Kiss. “We were looking to give him some rest period. You cannot keep playing him for ever. He probably will not be involved this weekend.”

McCall suffered a bang to the head against Oyonnax in last week’s 56-3 European Champions Cup win in Belfast, but was expected to pass the head injury assessments.

However, Kiss has decided to rest the young loosehead.

“He is recovering well, but I made the decision earlier along with the medics that we would give him a chance to recover.

“He had a cut on the head anyway and he woudl probably have been okay with the HIA stuff.”

Ian Humphreys suffered a knock last Saturday, but Kiss said he was right in the picture for this weekend.