IRFU stop star men Henshaw and Marmion from playing

Ireland backs, Robbie Henshaw and Kieran Marmion are both fighting fit but unavailable for selection due the IRFU’s policy of resting internationals through its player welfare programme.

Pat Lam’s sensational summer signings are also unavailable for the opener that has a decidedly low-key feel to it.

New Zealand legend Mils Muliaina, who arrived in Galway last week, is unavailable until October due to an elbow injury.

Connacht reputedly outbid two Irish provinces to secure the services of Waikato Chiefs centre Bundee Aki, who has sights on qualifying for Ireland through residency, but he, too, is unavailable this weekend.

If you start as you mean to go on then a match-day squad without Henshaw, Marmion, Muliaina and Aki is not ideal.

Presumably the Irish duo will be released for the glamour tie at home against Leinster in a fortnight; and if not then, why bother?

Still, the absence of the star quartet won’t deter the crowds who throng the College Road venue as much for the whole entertainment ‘package’ as they do for the rugby.

On a plus, captain John Muldoon – and he is the full captain, not a rotating captain or ‘one third’ captain like last season – is recovered from injury and is likely to be named in the starting XV that will be announced at noon Friday.

Another Galway native, prop Ronan Loughney has also returned to full training but Lam has a string of injury concerns that are worrying so early in the season and for a squad that hasn’t yet played a competitive match.

Matt Healy remains out after fracturing a hand in the pre-season friendly away to Clermont Auvergne, while also on the injury list are Tiernan O’Halloran (knee), Andrew Browne (knee), Jason Harris-Wright (shoulder), Mata Fifita (shoulder) and new signing from FC Grenoble, Shane O’Leary (quad), a Cork native.

Full preview in this week's Connacht Tribune.