“Coming in as a Transition Year he didn’t have to talk, he made his point with man of the match defensive displays in matches we should have lost. By his second year at senior people were looking to him in the dressing room.”
Robbie Henshaw has been leading since he was a teenager, so it should probably come as no surprise that, at the ripe old age of 23, he has already become one of the players Joe Schmidt relies most upon within the Ireland squad.
The Athlone native helped his school Marist College win a Connacht Senior Cup in his final year at the school, but head coach Mick Loftus explained to SportsJOE that the preternaturally confident Henshaw was leading by example when still in Transition year.
Robbie Henshaw's remarkable journey from fearless TY student to Ireland's star midfielder https://t.co/0AQGUPWsLH
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) March 19, 2016
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Henshaw – who since then has earned 23 international caps, won an historic first PRO12 title with his native province and made the switch to three-time European champions Leinster – is now one of those setting standards around the Ireland camp.
Little over a year after leading his school to glory he was making his Ireland debut in Houston at the age of 19. When Joe Schmidt took full control of the Ireland team that November Henshaw was brought into camp and given game time off the bench against Australia.
Beginning with South Africa 12 months hence, all Henshaw’s 20 subsequent appearances in green have been as a starter. He has made the 12 jersey previously occupied by Gordon D’Arcy his own but, more than that, Ireland coach Richie Murphy says the centre is bringing along the younger members of the squad.
There are lots to bring along. Nine players have made their debut already this November, including provincial team-mates past and present of Henshaw. Joey Carbery, Garry Ringrose and Niyi Adeolokun are all new faces in the backs and Murphy says Henshaw has been helping the newbies, just as Brian O’Driscoll and D’Arcy once helped him.
“He’s really grown over the last couple of years. Probably three years ago when he was in with us, he was in the panel, he played in November against Australia but didn’t feature in that Six Nations. He was in learning off the likes of Brian O’Driscoll and Gordon D’Arcy and those guys gave him a really good start,” said Murphy.
“Now it is the opposite way around – he is working with young guys like Garry Ringrose and Niyi Adeolokun on the wing and he is bringing those guys through.”
More importantly, Henshaw’s performances for Ireland have been consistently improving also. The game-securing score in Soldier Field was his second try for Ireland try, while his partnership with Jared Payne in midfield has been the rock upon which much of Ireland’s progress has been built.
A great passer off both hands and, like his predecessor D’Arcy a real threat around rucks, perhaps Henshaw’s greatest ability in in the tackle. He made 12 tackles in Chicago, repeatedly stopping New Zealand’s biggest ball carriers in their tracks.
A big game from Henshaw, particularly in defence, will be key on Saturday if Ireland are to become the first team since the Springboks in 2009 to record back-to-back wins over the All Blacks.
“He has really stepped up,” said Murphy. “He is a big presence in the middle of the park for us. We are really happy with where he is going and I suppose his versatility gives us a great advantage – he can play 12, he can play 13, you could play him at 15. He is a really good man to have in the squad.”
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