This being the first time he’s laced his boots in anger since April, when he failed to return for the second half at Clermont, even someone with as much mileage already banked as Iain Henderson is very eager to get out there again.
Just to illustrate, the Ulster skipper shares some content from a chat with Stuart McCloskey surrounding Saturday night’s opening salvo of the URC against none other than champions Glasgow Warriors.
“We were talking there about how he (McCloskey) is jealous of me given the fact I’m playing this weekend and he’s not; he’s getting another week off,” says Henderson.
“He wants to get back at it, and I’m a bit smarmy about it that I’m getting back to play sooner than he is.
“That’s the environment we have, we all genuinely really want to play for Ulster and there’s an ambition in the squad to get on when the starting team goes up.
“It’s still exciting and a proud moment to get selected for Ulster and I think that’s like a really good mentality that two of our longest-serving players still have that.
“So, there is a huge excitement there still, I felt it when I was younger and can see it in the young lads too.
“When you’re a good bit older you have a slightly different perspective on things, but the excitement is definitely still there,” he insists.
His failure to play again after the midway point at Stade Marcel Michelin was down to an issue with his big toe which though shipped earlier in the season had finally caught up with the 32-year-old lock and then required surgery to repair.
“It happened in the fallow week of the Six Nations when I played Ospreys and I ruptured ligaments in my toe then,” he recalls before mentioning another team-mate.
“It was a frustrating position where my foot was trapped and Dave McCann happened to fall on it in an awkward position and my foot got forced out of position and then I ruptured my ligament.
“I was playing with it, and it got progressively worse and then that Clermont game we semi made a decision that if we could continue playing, we’d just see how much worse it was getting but then it got to the point when a repair was needed.
“It was the type of thing where the surgeon was saying that had anyone’s foot been (caught) in that position it would have happened to them anyway.”
At least he is pragmatic about the latest in a lengthy line of various issues which have intervened to curtail his pitch time over the years.
“But it was frustrating because I felt like I was on a good run and fit and healthy and then…,” he says
“Last year I ended up playing 22 games which was the most I’ve played in a long time, obviously it was a World Cup year and went right the way through (for me) to a few weeks post-Six Nations.”
For the second campaign in a row, Henderson ended up sidelined as Ulster finished up for another year, last June losing the URC Quarter-Final at Leinster and thanks to an arm fracture in 2023 when crashing out at the same stage though at home to Connacht.
“It’s frustrating but, again, I’ve had my fair share of injuries and how to deal with them,” he states.
“I find it personally very frustrating but that’s not always in our control as to how things happen.
“We see how guys finish out seasons being it their first or last, a lot of the stuff isn’t in the players’ hands.
“So, as a player I’m aware that’s (a season-ending injury) a feasible outcome and I’m now pretty much at peace with that.
“I’m at a stage in my career now where I’ve had my fair share of them (injuries) and I know what that’s going to bring and I know what potentially is coming down the line for me so I’ll wear that when it comes.”
Not that he is seemingly intending on packing it up any time soon and even though his contract — he is on a central IRFU deal which is due to expire at season’s end — indeed, anything but.
“I definitely don’t plan on finishing up this season,” says the two-time British and Irish Lions tourist which sounds promising regarding him sticking around Ravenhill.
But there is some competition in Cormac Izuchukwu and Harry Sheridan who are both part of the Emerging Ireland tour soon to depart to South Africa, where, as it happens, Ulster are also heading for rounds two and three of the URC.
As Henderson explains: “In every squad there’s a huge understanding that we’re all in it together.
“And being together means that the older guys are in it to make the younger guys better to ensure they can perform as best as they can at the weekend, be that for Ulster or trying to get an Ireland spot.
“That’s our sole goal and we also want to have more guys playing in Ireland jerseys, it would be fantastic if we see Izzy (Izuchukwu) over the next year getting a full Ireland cap which I think he probably will.
“This young group of lads are good; the likes of Dave McCann and Sherry (Harry Sheridan) they take a lot on themselves they do exhibit quite a lot of positive leadership talent.”
But Henderson will also want to add to his collection of 81 Ireland caps with his last sustained number of appearances at Test level being at last autumn’s World Cup.
“That’s always in the back of your mind but it’s part of it, it’s part of the competition and vying for selection and trying to perform as best you can,” Henderson admits.
“That’s what professional sport is, trying to stay at the top of your game for as long as you can.
“It’s a long season, I haven’t played a lot of international rugby recently, so we’ve got the autumn series to get back into if selected.
“(But) I’ve got to get through this first block of Ulster’s season which in my mind is much more important than anything coming down the track so I’m 100 per cent Ulster focused.
“I think we’re in a good spot, we have the makings of what could be a phenomenal group of players, and we are a tight-knit bunch.
“But I think there is a lot of work for us to still do together.”
The skipper has spoken and, as usual, he has done so with clarity. So, here’s hoping that he can stay fit and firing this campaign.
“I feel I’m in great shape to come back in and play,” he adds.
“I feel good.”
That can only be hugely beneficial for Ulster.