Henshaw enjoying Connacht step-up

He’s the teenage sensation Eric Elwood has tipped to play for Ireland but Robbie Henshaw, the latest exciting back to come off the Connacht academy conveyor belt, is taking it all in his stride.

Six months ago he thought he had reached the pinnacle for the year when he captained his school, Marist College in Athlone, to their first Connacht Senior Cup success in 35 years, but now he is gracing the Heineken Cup. And looking perfectly at home too.

“It is massive progress,” acknowledged the 19-year-old. “Compared to schools rugby, the jump up to professional is insane. But I am glad to get the opportunity,” he said.

Following a pre-season friendly against the Exeter Chiefs in which he impressed, Elwood lavished praise on the young lad who has played for the Westmeath minor footballers for the past two years.

Henshaw made his debut in the RaboDirect PRO12 game at home to Cardiff when he came off the bench after 62 minutes and he followed it up with two more cameos off the bench in the next two matches. Elwood then gave him his first competitive start against Glasgow in the fourth game, and while they lost, the performance from the first year academy player was superb and he made his Heineken Cup debut against Zebre last weekend.

Henshaw plays down his rise. “I think it was a bit of luck. It has been fantastic. My ambitions were to try and get into the academy. I was delighted with that. That was my first step, just to get in and progress and get better each year in the academy.

“But then I got on the bench against Exeter. Eric had a few injuries and a few of us in the academy got lucky to get on the bench. I got off the bench in the second half and played well.

“Performance wise, the academy lads were playing pretty well so we showed we could step up to the mark. Eric is a great coach and he was willing to give us a chance.”

Henshaw is also fulsome in his praise of academy manager Nigel Carolan.

“Every time we had school holidays we were down for at least three days at the Sportsground,” continued Henshaw.

“I was training with the U18 and U19s. It was a great set-up. Nigel would bring us down for training in the gym and for skill sessions.

“And that’s what I would say to any other young guy coming up. I’d encourage every young lad in the academy and every young lad playing rugby to keep working and keep the head down. Never stop training hard and the opportunity will come.”