ROBBIE THE RUTHLESS
Henshaw & Co eager to seize every chance as Irish eye another Slam
ROBBIE HENSHAW says that the word ‘Ruthless’ is written nowhere in Ireland camp.
The Leinster centre insists there is no need for a visible reminder of what the players already know.
“You know what, it’s actually not,” he said. “But the way we prepare and the way we play the game, we’re expected to take our chances when we can.
“Ruthless isn’t plastered on the board in front of us here – but the coaches expect us to be ruthless to take those chances and go after teams when we can and just to not let up. The expectation of this team is to be the best we can and we want to take every opportunity.”
That includes shutting out Italy on the scoreboard at the Aviva Stadium eight days ago. Next up is Warren Gatland’s Wales at the Aviva Stadium.
Henshaw had to wait for his sixth meeting with the Welsh to taste victory but Ireland are favourites to consign their Celtic cousins to a third straight defeat in this championship.
“I know from playing against Welsh teams they’re unbelievably tough competitors and they’ll play for 80 minutes,” the 30-year-old said.
“They’re always close games and they never give up, especially being coached by Gatland. He’s a tough coach and he really can get the best out of his teams in terms of that mental and physical toughness.”
Henshaw only featured twice off the bench at the World Cup. But, starting with the Aviva Stadium game against Munster on November 25, he has made nine starts across URC, Champions Cup and the Six Nations at either inside or outside centre.
He played a stormer in the No.13 shirt against France in Marseille and then against the Italians as Garry Ringrose sat out both with a shoulder injury.
Ringrose is poised to return next weekend so Henshaw will play a waiting game to see if he will make his 70th Ireland appearance.
But he is delighted with how he responded after the physical and mental healing to be done after the World Cup. Henshaw went to the Aspetar Rehabilitation Clinic in Doha on a “work-holiday” trip to do an intense week of rehab and training after the finals.
“I just got really good work done, got a different set of eyes on me and did some testing and had a strict programme that they got me to work on,” he said.
“I had to get myself right so I took a few weeks to make sure I came into Leinster and this campaign able to give it my all to get into the form I knew I could get.
“Looking back on the last year it’s been stop-start – but just to get this run of games it always helps with confidence, with form. I’m delighted my body’s in a good place and my game’s in a decent place.”