SANTIAGO CORDERO aims to shine for Connacht during the Six Nations.
Seven players from the province — Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen, Finlay Bealham, Caolin Blade, Cian Prendergast, Cathal Forde and Ben Murphy — will be in the extended Ireland camp next week.
But Argentine Cordero will stay on for URC duty and is delighted to do so with clashes against Glasgow Warriors, Cardiff and Benetton in store.
The 31-year old missed most of his first season with Connacht after suffering a knee injury when he collided with a post in his first training session.
But he is back to full fitness now and is raring to go, even if Connacht’s Ireland cohort are away.
Cordero said: “I thought it was going to be like, I’m recovered, I can play now.
“But the truth is it takes longer. It takes a lot of time to feel, or to have that feeling again, as like the knee is 100 per cent.
“A couple of weeks ago, I started to feel it coming along. It’s almost there. I’ll just keep working.”
Cordero starts for Connacht tonight in the Challenge Cup against Cardiff.
He is joined in the squad by JJ Hanrahan who returns from injury. But Hansen is suspended, with Forde and Blade rested.
CONNACHT: S Cordero; C Mullins, P O’Conor, B Aki, B Ralston; J Ioane, B Murphy; P Dooley, D Heffernan, F Bealham; J Murphy, J Joyce; C Prendergast, C Oliver, P Boyle.
Reps: E de Buitlear, J Duggan, J Aungier, D O’Connor, S Jansen, M Devine, JJ Hanrahan, D Hawkshaw.