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Henderson Ireland's only injury concern ahead of Six Nations

Farrell added that out-half Joey Carbery is 'fit as a fiddle' despite carrying an elbow injury into camp.



Henderson Ireland's only injur...
Rugby

Henderson Ireland's only injury concern ahead of Six Nations

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell says he has virtually a full squad to choose from ahead of the Six Nations.

Iain Henderson - who has suffered with hamstring and ankle injuries in recent months - is the only major concern.

But Farrell says that the Ulster captain could still feature in their campaign opener against Wales on Saturday week.

In what will come as an encouraging update, Farrell added that out-half Joey Carbery is 'fit as a fiddle' despite carrying an elbow injury into camp.

“To sum it up, we expect everyone bar Iain Henderson to be training fully with us by the end of the week,” Farrell told the media at today's competition launch.

“That’s not to say he’s [Iain Henderson] out of the Wales game yet, we’ll take it day by day and see how we go.”

“Joey [Carbery] has been keeping fighting fit from week two after his injury to his elbow, so he’s fit as a fiddle,” the Englishman added.

“He has been doing all the ball skills constantly and the only thing he has had to wait is to get the all-clear to get back into contact and he’s had that now so it’s all systems go.”

One player who definitely won't be involved initially is Leinster winger James Lowe, as he's nursing a muscle strain.

The injury ruled him out of the squad - but Farrell suggested he could come into the reckoning later in the championship.

“We’ll see what his fitness is like when he comes back,”

“We’re expecting it to be a few weeks, we don’t know how many just as yet. I suppose with every hamstring it takes its own course.

“James, to be fair, is absolutely gutted. He will be doing everything he can to get as fit as he possibly can as soon as he can and we’ll assess it from there.”

Meanwhile, Farrell's son, Owen, has been ruled out of England's campaign with an ankle problem.

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Andy Farrell England Iain Henderson Ireland James Lowe Joey Carbery Owen Farrell Ulster