Iain Henderson loving the challenge having slipped down Ireland's pecking order

“It’s potentially like a new stage in my career,” said the Ulster veteran, “but I’ve loved every bit of the Six Nations and seeing Joe come in over the last year or 18 months.

LOVING CHALLENGE: Iain Henderson poses for a portrait after an Ireland rugby media conference at the IRFU High Performance Centre at the Sports Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Iain Henderson and Peter O’Mahony’s accents are worlds apart but you couldn’t listen to the Ulsterman talk about his place in the current Ireland squad this week without the voice of Cork’s finest ringing in your ears.

It’s over two years since O’Mahony found himself dropped from the starting XV for the November internationals against Japan and New Zealand. Only a late injury to Jack Conan opened the door for a return to the team against Argentina in Dublin.