Obvious class of Robbie Henshaw raises obvious question

It seems to make all the sense in the world. It seems…

Robbie Henshaw had an absolute cracker for Leinster at The RDS as the hosts got their Champions Cup campaign off to a winning start.

In just his second game of the season, the 24-year-old was a class above in the Leinster backline. Isa Nacewa was impressive for his shortened stay on the pitch, Barry Daly and Joey Carbery stood up to be counted and Adam Byrne was brave in attack, if somewhat exposed in defence. Luke McGrath and Ross Byrne were solid in their growing partnership.

Henshaw was a class above.

He grew into the game, as he so often does, with fearsome, undiluted defence. In the opening 20 minutes, as Leinster soaked pressure from Montpellier, the centre was required to make some big hits. One tackle was so forceful that it saw the mouth-guard of flanker Yacouba Camara to shoot out.

As the guard lay inside the Leinster 22, Camara zagged unsteadily back into the line while Henshaw went hunting for more trouble.

There's Camara's mouthpiece, in between Carbery and the posts pic.twitter.com/bGAQFzh8S7

— Pat McCarry (@patmccarry) October 14, 2017

As Leinster began to open up, Henshaw came to the attacking fore. He was part of a couple of threatening parries and had a role in the tries of Carbery and Josh van der Flier.

If he was good in the first half, he was pure class in the second.

A cross-field kick from Ross Byrne caused Jesse Mogg no end of trouble. When the ball skittled loose, Henshaw was in the right place at the right time to flop over for his second ever try in Leinster blue.

He was not finished there. Nemani Nadolo’s second try got his side right back into the contest but Leinster responded with a fine move that secured the tryscoring bonus point and, ultimately, sealed the win.

After going through the phases on the right flank, McGrath and Byrne linked up before finding Henshaw on the charge. We have not seen much of Henshaw the outside centre since the season he helped Connacht to the PRO12 title but he has real talent in the role.

Leinster had a 3-on-3 but such was the angle of Henshaw’s run and the delay of his pass to Carbery drew in two men and left Daly with a 15-metre run towards the tryline.

Still, Montpellier were not done. Many would have written off the French side once they fell 24-14 behind but they kept battling. Ruan Pienaar chipped over a penalty and his team went perilously close to clinching a draw.

Nadolo was a magnet for the ball and, on one carry, he flattened Henshaw. Momentum with Montpellier.

Henshaw falling back, smirking, somehow held onto the giant Fijian’s leg. You can’t win them all but you can slow them down.

On the very next phase, he pounced on Pienaar, wrenched the ball free and won his side a turnover. The home crowd went ballistic. Momentum with Leinster.

Carbery was still required to make a big tackle and the Leinster pack wound down the clock. Amid those closing seconds there was another cheer as Henshaw was announced man of the match.

His performance in the 13 jersey raises the obvious question – Where does Henshaw start for Ireland next month?

Garry Ringrose is training again but only an outside bet to play Ulster at the end of the month. Ringrose may not be match-ready for the Springboks but Joe Schmidt has options.

Henshaw may be shifted to outside centre as Jared Payne [the other likely lad] is still not back after his severe summer headaches. Joe Schmidt may be tempted to link Henshaw back up with Bundee Aki, next month, while Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey is in good form and Rory Scannell is also available.

As for Henshaw and his time at 13, he tells us:

“I did enjoy it out there. It’s been a while since I’ve played there. It was brilliant.

“I love playing in the centre – 12 or 13, anywhere at all. But definitely getting that bit of space on the outside and linking up with Joey and the wingers was nice. It was a bit of a change. I got a bit of outside break and was able to just have a go.”

Aki and Henshaw have not played together since they combined to tear Leinster apart, in Connacht green, in that victorious PRO12 final at Murrayfield.

The partnership may well resume at the Aviva Stadium next month.

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