Henshaw at home on the big stage

Looks can be deceiving, which is just as well given the picture Robbie Henshaw’s face painted as the Connacht youngster stood listening to the anthems before the biggest examination in his burgeoning career.

Three caps had already been bagged, but this was the big one and one look at the 21-year old in that pre-match line-up made you fear he was all too aware of the magnitude of the task ahead and the legend just departed.

Tagged for some time now as the heir to Brian O’Driscoll’s Irish shirt, he was spared the overt comparisons by Joe Schmidt’s decision to hand him the number 12 jersey instead, but this was still his Las Vegas after the few outings in Atlantic City.