Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
ROCH AND LEARN FOR BLUES ACE
BY MICHAEL SCULLY
ROBBIE HENSHAW plans to win Leinster’s last Champions Cup dance of the season “at all costs” after channelling his inner Michael Jordan to play in the semi-final victory over Toulouse.
Henshaw suffered from flu in the days before and was even bed-ridden on the Wednesday and Thursday before the Saturday clash.
But he started and was influential until Leo Cullen called him ashore in the 64th minute.
“It was a rough week,” recalled the Ireland centre, who has battled back from an injury-hit campaign and is feeling fresh.
“I was pretty grim but I got out of bed for the Captain’s Run Captain’s Run on Friday and then felt better on Saturday.
“But I was definitely struggling for air in that game.
“I just dug deep, kept the head down and tried to get on with it the best I could.
“Once I got into the game it was a bit easier but at times where you want that extra kick recovery-wise, catching your breath, it was a small bit off. But it’s amazing what adrenaline can do in the heat of the moment.”
Henshaw had recently rewatched the brilliant Chicago Bulls basketball documentary, The Last Dance, and drew on one episode in particular as he rose from his sickbed to play.
“Michael Jordan was violently ill for one of the play-off games, in parts he was out on his feet and then towards the end he just found a way and that’s what I was thinking of,” said the Athlone man.
Ronan O’gara’s La Rochelle await in the final at the Stade Velodrome, the side that beat Leinster last year in the last four but failed to secure a first European crown in the decider.
Henshaw doesn’t expect it to be a classic but it’s not about that, he claims, as draws on another lesson from watching Jordan (inset) in the documentary.
The 28-year-old said: “It’s probably just to win at all costs, isn’t it?“it’s a final, we need to just do what we can to win and if it’s ugly, it’s ugly.”