Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IT’S A TRIPLE FROWN NOW
Henderson, Herring and Hansen unavailable for duty
IAN HENDERSON and Rob Herring have picked up injuries and Mack Hansen is in isolation after contracting Covid.
Ireland’s travelling pool of 40 players was reduced to 37 at a stroke as those warning the squad was too small for a five game, three test tour to New Zealand had their first-up fears realised.
The Ulster second-row and his hooker club-mate picked up knocks in training over the weekend and were sent for scans yesterday.
Munster’s Niall Scannell has been flown out to join the squad in the absence of Herring.
Henderson’s injury comes as a particular blow with regards team selection for the opening All Blacks test on Saturday, while it has massive ramifications on selection for the NZ Maoris.
The Maoris have gone particularly big in this area too, selecting Josh Dickson (6’7”, 18st 6lbs) and Isaia Walker lea were (6’6”, 19st 3lbs) with Crusaders sensation Cullen Grace parachuted in from the All Blacks to play No.8.
Ireland had only brought four ‘dedicated’ second-rows to New Zealand – Henderson, James Ryan, Kieran Treadwell and the uncapped Joe Mccarthy.
A fifth player, Tadhg Beirne, may have started seven of Ireland’s last eight games at second-row emanating from situations where Henderson and Ryan were, in turn, not available or not fully fit.
Instructively though, that ‘eighth’ match was the November win over New Zealand saw Henderson and Ryan start. Their extra height and weight were considered non-negotiable.
Henderson’s potential absence from next Saturday’s first test will have thrown Andy Farrell’s planning awry as he had been expected to start him and Ryan with Beirne on the bench.
Taking Henderson out and partnering Ryan/beirne in Eden Park with an ‘AN Other’ on the bench on Saturday takes four players out of the equation for the NZ Maoris.
As it stands, Treadwell and Mccarthy were the only other dedicated second-rows in the panel.
Others capable of moving into this area include Ryan Baird, who has only made 16 second-row starts with Leinster (only two of the at Heineken Cup level) albeit he has started there twice for Ireland, against USA and Italy.
Connacht’s Cian Prendergast is also considered capable of playing second-row in an emergency although he did not start there for his province this season.
Meanwhile, Hansen (inset) has not been considered for either the Maori clash or Saturday’s All Black game.