Ulster assistant coach Roddy Grant is still hopeful that the province and the IRFU can strike a deal to keep Iain Henderson at Ravenhill.
The 31-year-old, presently sidelined with a fractured arm sustained on Ireland duty, is in the final months of his IRFU-funded central contract.
Unlikely to be fit before the URC play-offs in May at the earliest, there is no guarantee that the northern province’s skipper will ever play for the side again.
“Any squad, any team, you want good players in your squad,” said Grant.
“For us, he’s one of the best Irish players, a British and Irish Lion, he adds a lot to us (in terms of) leadership.
“Hopefully we can keep him.
“I don’t know the full ins and outs of it, how things stand there, but he’s a great player and anyone would be keen to have him in their squad.”
Henderson is not the only Ulster player facing an uncertain future. John Cooney and Jacob Stockdale are two more stars with deals expiring at the end of this season while there is expected to be a number of senior players departing this summer too.
Ulster captain Iain Henderson has committed his future to the province, signing a two-year deal that will keep him playing in an Ulster jersey until at least 2027.
The 32-year-old forward is a stalwart of their senior Men’s team, having surpassed the 150-cap mark for Ulster since making his debut back in April 2012.
A long-serving Ireland international, he has amassed over 80 caps for Ireland, having been a key member of five Six Nations title-winning squads and three Rugby World Cup campaigns.
He has also had the honour of touring twice with the British & Irish Lions, in New Zealand in 2017, and South Africa in 2021.
Commenting on his new deal, Henderson said: “I’m delighted to sign with Ulster Rugby for another two years, and feel energised about leading this group, which can keep growing in the months to come.
“We are building a team with a new core of players coming through the ranks, and I believe there is the talent and experience to drive us forward.
“As a proud Ulsterman, I love playing for the team and I’m excited for us going forward.”
Speaking about today’s news, Ulster Rugby’s Head of Rugby Operations and Recruitment, Bryn Cunningham, added: “This is great news for us to secure Iain for another two years.
“He is our captain, a leader of the group, and sets high standards in how he goes about his work. His professionalism and experience is second to none, and he is an ideal role model for young players in the squad.
“His impact for us is vital, and we look forward to seeing more of Iain leading Ulster both on and off the pitch in the years to come.”
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