LISTEN: Joe Schmidt: Iain Henderson has come a long way in a few years

“His ability to carry and get over the gain line is a big plus for us, he is a bit of a handful.”

By Grainne McGuinness and Shaun Cronin

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt praised the performance and work ethic of Ulster’s Iain Henderson after yesterday’s win against Canada in Cardiff.

Henderson was handed a place in the second row ahead of Devin Toner and rewarded Schmidt’s faith with a strong performance.

“His ability to carry and get over the gain line is a big plus for us, particularly as players start to tire in the opposition,” Schmidt said in his post-match interview. “Even when they’re not tired he’s still a bit of a handful.”

Schmidt also highlighted Henderson’s defensive performance.

“He did really well today, he also gets through a fair bit of defensive work too. His tackle count was right up there as well. I felt his contribution was very solid for us.”

Fellow Ulsterman Rory Best described Henderson as having “limitless potential” and Ireland’s coach agreed that the 23-year-old was becoming an integral part of the Irish team.

“You've got to look how far he has come in the last couple of years,” he said “He has been a member of our Six Nations squad for the past couple of years and has contributed massively in those squads.”