The Ulster players have a phrase for when a player’s contract is up for re-negotiation – Apple crumble.
“There always used to be a slag at Ulster,” Iain Henderson tells us.
“The boys used to – and I think it was Darren Cave mainly – call people ‘Apple Crumble’ because they were crumbling under the pressure of not getting a contract. There’s obviously a bit of banter around it but everyone is aware that it’s just a bit of craic.”
The Ulster and Ireland lock has been in top form over the past 18 months, kicking off in South Africa and carrying on through a decent season for his province, more responsibility and influence for the national team and a good showing on the Lions Tour. He arrived home, got married, honeymooned and return home determined to kick on.
That he just did and South African captain Eben Etzebeth – flattened and outfoxed at the Aviva Stadium last month – will attest to that. Henderson has led Ulster in a couple of big games too and is doing everything right to get himself a decent central contract with the IRFU. The only problem is, much to the surprise of many and the consternation of some, it hasn’t arrived yet.
Henderson spoke with The Hard Yards about his recent exploits, learning under Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan and about why his extended stay with Ulster has not yet been announced [from 37:00 below].
Monday and Tuesday saw Henderson out at Carton House, Maynooth, for a two-day Ireland camp with Joe Schmidt and his coaches. With some players sorted for new contracts and others still on the fence, the 25-year-old says there was plenty of material for mockery.
“It’s great to see a few of the boys getting sorted there – Tadhg [Furlong] and Pete [O’Mahony] getting signed up. We were having a bit of craic with them.”
We spoke with Henderson on Wednesday, with no deal yet done. Within 24 hours the IRFU had announced CJ Stander would be sticking around until 2021. For Henderson, the waiting game goes on. He said:
Hopefully there will be a decision made soon, or some pen will go to paper over the next couple of weeks. Hopefully… there’s just been kind of a back-log. They’re busy signing up Pete and Tadhg and a lot of boys at this stage. The lads writing the contracts at this stage are under a fair bit of pressure. They’ve got a fair bit on their plate. Hopefully it’ll be sorted soon enough.”
When it was put to Henderson that he may wish to settle down in Ulster (and with Ulster Rugby) after getting married in the summer, he points out that France-bound Simon Zebo has a young family too.
“Everyone is different. Ulster have been very good to me over the last number of years and so have the IRFU.
“At the minute, Ulster is the place to be and, looking forward, I’ve got no immediate aspirations to move away but, like, Zeebs might have said that before he moved too.”
In a waiting game that sees some deals broadcast widely and others done behind closed doors, Henderson has surely waited enough. Get it done and but Ulster and Ireland fans, and Henderson himself, out of his misery.
Iain Henderson was speaking at Kingspan’s Ulster Rugby media event in Dublin, Kingspan delivers high efficiency, low cost, low carbon building solutions and is the naming rights partner and front of jersey sponsor of Ulster Rugby
