ULSTER POWERHOUSE IAIN Henderson has been freed to play in his province’s title run-in after an independent committee decided his actions against Munster did not warrant a red card.
The 23-year-old back row was issued a straight red by referee Nigel Owens on the advice of TMO Kevin Beggs for perceived use of the head when clearing Munster wing Ronan O’Mahony out of a 74th minute ruck deep in the visitors’ 22.
A statement from the all-Welsh disciplinary committee today said:
“Having viewed the incident in close-up (which the match referee had not been able to do at the time), the Disciplinary Committee concluded that the player’s initial contact with his opponent had not in fact been with his head but with his arm.”
A ban of more than two weeks would have ended Henderson’s season as the Pro12 campaign reaches a climax with the final round, semi-finals and the final on consecutive weekends until 30 May.
With no further case to answer, Henderson will now be available to head coach Neil Doak for this weekend’s crucial final day trip to Glasgow.
