“Robbie Henshaw is that good”.
The Irish team to face Russia has been named, and still no Robbie Henshaw.
We’ve had our World Cups undone by injuries before. The 43-20 hammering at the hands of Argentina in 2015 came after a frankly sellotaped Irish side lined out against the Pumas. Shorn of Johnny Sexton, Paul O”Connell and Peter O’Mahony through injury, as well as Sean O’Brien’s suspension, Ireland were simply unable to deal with the rampant Pumas. Injuries are part and parcel of any sporting tournament, but they’ve never been kind to us.
They haven’t been that sound this time around either.
We’ve sent home Jack Conan, lost our starting centre partnership, seen HIAs to Peter O’Mahony, Rob Kearney and Chris Farrell, wrapped Johnny Sexton in more bubble wrap than you’d see in IKEA’s headquarters and ended up with Luke McGrath on the wing against Japan.
One of the biggest losses came before a ball had even been knocked forward in Japan: Robbie Henshaw’s hamstring injury means we’re yet to see the Leinster centre take to the field in the Far East. He has, with the greatest of respect, effectively been a tourist within the Irish camp so far.
Much has been made of the 31-man squad sizes at the World Cup, by Schmidt himself on a couple of occasions; how inflexible they are, particularly in terms of resting players with tight turnarounds in every Pool, and how they don’t allow for any leeway with injuries.
Coupled with other minor tweaks and pulls in the camp, particularly in the backs, carrying Henshaw rather than cutting our losses and sending him home, has seen a number of players play more minutes than expected at this stage and has surely affected Ireland’s ability to train to full effectiveness due to further limited numbers.
But, according to Jerry Flannery, Robbie Henshaw is a player that you make exceptions for.
Speaking on Epsiode 3 of The JOEpan Rugby Show this week, Flannery outlined Schmidt’s reasoning for keeping Henshaw in the squad;
“I think Robbie Henshaw is that good that he’s worth waiting for. He’s a British and Irish Lion, he’s got so much experience from his days with Connacht and winning trophies with Leinster… and winning trophies with Connacht! So I think that’s why they’re waiting on him, and soft tissue injuries, which I believe he has, they can be slow to heal as well. So, Joe is kind of at the behest of waiting on what his medical team, what information they’re giving him.”
Fla went on to explain how circumstances outside the camp will also have had a huge bearing on Schmidt’s decision to keep Henshaw close by;
“The reality is as well, I think Will Addisson has picked up an injury at the moment as well. So he would probably be, I’d imagine, the next guy up. And if you don’t have another alternative, I’m not sure who the next guy up is going to be in terms of a centre to replace Robbie Henshaw.”
Henshaw is due back in the 23-man squad for Samoa in Ireland’s final Pool A fixture, before a potential Quarter Final the following weekend. Hopefully. On both counts.
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