Ireland flanker Henry has surgery to repair heart defect

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland flanker Chris Henry has had an operation to repair a defect on his heart wall after a temporary blockage was discovered in a small blood vessel in his brain, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) said on Tuesday.

The defect was found to be related to the blockage, which was discovered before Ireland's victory over South Africa on Nov. 8, the statement said.

Henry was withdrawn from the starting lineup on the morning of the South Africa match with a suspected viral illness that was initially diagnosed as a severe migraine.

Henry is recovering from the operation, the statement said.

The chief executive of Henry's club side Ulster, Shane Logan, was quoted by the BBC as saying that the province was "more optimistic than we were a week or two ago" about him making a return to professional rugby.

(Reporting by Conor Humphries; editing by Toby Davis)