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'I like the pressure' - Competition for starting spot driving Henshaw to next level

Robbie Henshaw: 'We're lucky to have such good talent here in this team, all the centres are top class'
Robbie Henshaw: 'We're lucky to have such good talent here in this team, all the centres are top class'

There was a period of time when, in the rare enough event that Ireland had their three primo centres – Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki – available, it was likely to be the latter who would lose out.

That was usually the case in the last three years of Joe Schmidt's reign and in the first couple of years under Andy Farrell.

Those days are gone. Such has been the form of Aki, which brought a World Rugby Player of the Year nomination, that it's now a case of Henshaw, Ringrose and Stuart McClosley upping their game in order to convince Farrell they should slot in beside the 33-year-old Connacht man.

Following Ireland’s win over France, Farrell hailed the return to form of Henshaw, who never got up to speed at the World Cup as he struggled with a hamstring injury.

The Athlone native has started the last three games in the centre, however, partnering Aki in the wins over Les Bleus and Wales.

Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw have formed a formidable partnership

Now the 30-year-old feels he’s getting up to speed after a frustrating spell.

"It’s probably getting a run of games, getting minutes," says Henshaw, who started all three Lions Tests in 2021, of his recent form.

"I’ve been lucky to get back from the World Cup, get a run of games with Leinster and just enjoy it.

"It was stop-start before that. You get form from playing rugby, so to be playing, starting, that’s where you get the best out of me.

"It’s always tricky [to re-establish yourself after injury].

"That’s the nature of the game. We’re lucky to have such good talent here in this team, all the centres are top class.

"When you get the chance you have to perform and take it, otherwise someone else can take it. I like the pressure."

Henshaw's attack coach at Leinster, Andrew Goodman, soon to join the Ireland set-up, has seen the hard work that the centre has put in since returning from the World Cup in France.

The former Connacht player has played all but 12 minutes of Leinster's four Champions Cup games this season.

"He’s been training consistently, his body’s been right," Goodman told RTÉ Sport.

"I’ve been really impressed, he’s looked so sharp, moving his feet well into contact, both sides of the ball.

"We’ve shown a lot of clips of him to our young backline here around some of the things he’s doing well at international level.

"I thought his last couple of European performances for us heading into Six Nations were really strong as well.

"It’s great for us and Ireland that he’s back to playing the way he is and able to do it week to week."

Robbie Henshaw in action alongside Garry Ringrose against Leicester

Ulster's McCloskey started against Italy and came off the bench to play the latter stages of Saturday’s game on the wing. Ringrose, meanwhile, hopes to recover from a shoulder injury that’s kept him sidelined since 20 January.

However, Henshaw can point to the three wins to date and specifically how he dovetailed with Aki in games one and three. He’s once again in harmony with his former Connacht team-mate.

"We definitely click when we play together, we know how we play," said Henshaw following Ireland’s 31-7 win over Wales, which keeps the team on track for a second Guinness Six Nations championship in a row.

"That’s based on minutes together, experience.

"We always have to work on it and make sure we’re on the same page.

"[Bundee is] brilliant, he’s definitely got a complete understanding of our game here in Ireland.

"In this Irish team he fits so well into the system, he’s grown and learned a lot.

"That shows in his performances, his understanding in attack, how connected he is in what goes on around him and to the forwards. He had a great impact today."

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