This week's distraction from the Heineken Cup imperative of Welford Road arrived with Joe Schmidt's first Six Nations Championship squad. A timely diversion it was too that in that if anything it showed there are few dramatic shocks to be had from Irish rugby's cast of characters.
As mid-term reports go the phone call or letter from the Irish coach will have streamed players as pass or fail at international level. Others know they have been accepted but must try harder and others still are on the periphery and hoping to . . . .well just hoping.
Iain Henderson is in the latter group and you've got to believe he has more expectation than hope. Then again Schmidt is a new broom and that makes players skittish. Already capped and along with Connacht's Robbie Henshaw, Leinster's Jordi Murphy and Jack McGrath, Henderson is one of a talented young coterie who have been energised by the Kiwi's interest in having them in his Irish squad.
It has perked up the loose forward’s run-in to Leicester on Saturday. After some weeks out with a hamstring tear following quickly on from a toe injury, Henderson’s return to playing against Munster in the league a couple of weeks ago and then a bench place in Ulster’s Heineken Cup win over Montpellier was timely. With scant pitch time since the end of November, Schmidt’s decision to include him was firmly rooted in the 21-year-old’s potential, not his form.
“I spoke to him earlier in the year about my injury and how it was frustrating trying to get back from it,” says Henderson. “He said ‘just try to get back playing and try to get game time under your belt’. Really I just want to try to give him good reason to pick me.”
Ulster watchers and coach Mark Anscombe know what a gem The Royal Belfast Academy lock or backrow has become. He came through school with Stuart Olding and only entered the underage Irish system when he graduated to Queens.
Then there was a staccato elevation; the Under 20 World Cup, two appearances for Ulster and an Irish debut against South Africa at 20-years-old. Boy to man overnight.
“It’s frustrating getting that second injury [hamstring] after just coming back from my first one [toe] and luckily due to Johan Muller’s misfortune I got a start in the Munster game and we ended up turning them over up here, which was a good game to come back into,” he says.
“Unfortunately I didn’t start last weekend against Montpellier, which reduced my game time. I’d have preferred that it would have increased coming up to this stage of the season. I’d prefer to be getting more matches so that I’d be able to show what I can do. But thankfully I’ve got into the squad now and I just need to back myself to play well this weekend against Leicester. But I’m definitely happy to be in that [Irish] squad.”
Unlike secondrows, Devin Toner or Paul O’Connell, Henderson can genuinely play as a flanker or lock and he plays those positions as you like to see players do. He breaks the gain line. He can run and he has a physical presence. Given his age, and there is no hint of the callow student, that makes him a valuable asset.
At this point nobody is asking him to specialise and in his own mind, his versatility may get him more game time. Johan Muller and Dan Tuohy are both obstacles to progress as well as teachers in the Ulster set-up. Muller, particularly has been an influence with the 24-times capped Springbok taking the Ulster lineout sessions as well as marshalling the team on the pitch.
The bench
"Scrum time as well, he's helped me out there too and the mauls," says Henderson.
As Muller is strongly considering returning to Africa with his family at the end of the term, doors should open next season for the Craigavon man. But this week Henderson’s mind is on the now.
“I have been training in the second row and the back row,” he says. “I do that on a daily basis to make sure I am fully capable of playing both and every week I am on the bench. I know there is a chance I could be coming on back or second row. Yes, it’s encouraged. Versatility at my age I think is a very good thing to have and to be able to keep on top of playing both positions well would be excellent to do.”
He has never played at Welford Road, never known the old -fashioned, close in pitch and the noise of the fans almost sitting on top of the play. Leicester’s form at home he knows is good and if Ulster’s aspiration to secure a quarter-final in Belfast is credible, they will have to improve on the scratchy win over Montpellier.
In that respect there has been self-critical soul searching around Ravenhill over the last five days. Henderson as well as Anscombe know that requirements change from week to week. What sufficed last Friday won't do on Saturday and with a home advantage quarter-final at stake, the myth of Leicester has somehow inflated. The teams are still in the pool stages but the one-off feel of the match gives it the bang of a cup match, altogether a different dynamic.
Physical match
"I've never played at Welford Road. But from what I hear it is quite a formidable place to go," he says. "It's definitely good to have played a physical match the week before although there are sore bodies from Montpellier.
“I heard Leicester haven’t been beaten in the last few seasons in the Heineken at Welford Road. That adds to their reputation. But if we can go there and play to our game plan, the way we know we can, if we increase our discipline around the middle of the pitch and not allow them to kick to the corners and if we try and reduce their opportunities to use their maul and their scrum, I think we can do well and turn them over.”
Henderson and the rest form an impressive five. Chris Henry and Robbie Diack are also in Schmidt’s squad with Nick Williams the in-form Ulster number 8 and Muller. But Henderson’s dynamic game is guaranteed to provide something different wherever he ends up on the park.
"Yes, this is definitely the business end of the season," he says. "Heineken Cup at the end of the group stages almost become like final games."
European leaders
A truism certainly. But Henderson is right and Ulster are desperate to break through from 'close but no cigar' to respected European leaders. They were the first Irish team to crack the tournament but have trailed Munster and Leinster in securing a consistent reputation as a team to truly fear. Defining games like those against British bulldog sides like Leicester can make reputations. Indeed only games like these can do that.
“ Likewise with this Six Nations coming up everyone is trying to bring out their ‘A’ game to get selected,” says Henderson. “That adds more excitement to the match. That adds more excitement to the players.”
Not that this one needs it.
