Ireland lose Henderson ahead of Wales showdown

Ireland have suffered a significant setback ahead of their Six Nations clash against Wales, with lock Iain Henderson ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

The experienced forward will miss Saturday’s match as the team aims to secure the Triple Crown, following victories over England and Scotland.

Fellow Ulster lock Cormac Izuchukwu will also be unavailable after suffering an ankle injury. Meanwhile, captain Caelan Doris faces a race against time to recover from a knee injury sustained during the win over Scotland in Edinburgh.

In response to the injuries, several players have been added to the Ireland squad, including Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Diarmuid Mangan, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, and Nick Timoney.

"Gavin Coombes, John Hodnett, Diarmuid Mangan, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, and Nick Timoney have all been added to the squad, with Iain Henderson [hamstring] and Cormac Izuchukwu [ankle] unavailable due to injury."

The statement also mentioned that the injured Ulster duo will remain with their province to recover and begin their rehabilitation.

Doris has been a standout performer at No. 8, and his availability remains uncertain as his workload is managed throughout the week. In addition, hooker Ronan Kelleher is being monitored due to a neck issue.

However, Ireland received some positive injury news, as Tadhg Furlong is making steady progress in his recovery, while Mack Hansen and Joe McCarthy have returned to training.

Interim head coach Simon Easterby is set to announce his squad for the Wales match on Thursday, as Ireland prepare for another crucial Six Nations fixture.