Back in swing after Wallabies win, Henshaw ready for 'massive' Boks test

South Africa visit Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

CENTRE OF ATTENTION: Ireland's Caelan Doris, Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki celebrate after the game. Pic: INPHO/Gary Carr

A full house at Aviva Stadium and a great team performance against quality opposition, last Saturday’s record victory over Australia offered Robbie Henshaw a timely reminder of the joys of playing for Ireland, but the centre knows there is still one more challenge to meet and it is the biggest one of all.

Rugby kingpins South Africa are in Dublin ahead of Saturday’s final Quilter Nations Series Test of the month and this final international of the year represents a litmus test of the progress made by Andy Farrell’s squad over the course of three November games.

The performance that secured the 46-19 victory over the Wallabies was the fillip both players and supporters needed after an opening defeat to New Zealand in Chicago and an up and down display in overcoming Japan seven days prior. And it was a vital step forward with the quality of this Saturday’s visitors for another sell-out evening at the Aviva in mind.

"When you get to play in games like that you pinch yourself about the team you're playing in and what you're playing for as well,” the 32-year-old Henshaw said after earning his 84th cap. "You never take for granted stepping on to the pitch with Ireland, it's incredible."

Equally, Saturday’s upcoming clash with Rassie Erasmus’s back-to-back world champions is a game viewed by Henshaw as “massively exciting”.

Since he last faced the Springboks, following Ireland’s series-leveling second Test win in Durban, a fourth win in their last five meetings, Saturday’s opponents have raised their game to another level to cement their place at the top of the World Rugby rankings. They come to Dublin having won their last two tour matches, against France and Italy, having been played the final 42 and 68 minutes respectively with just 14 players following the dismissals of Lood de Jager in Paris and Franco Mostert in Turin.

So what better time for Ireland to test their mettle against the Boks’ all-court game and physicality.

“It's massive,” Henshaw said. “I think they're the talk of World Rugby at the moment in terms of the strength in depth they have, the individual talent and I suppose they're grinding out results and teams looks like they have them and then they find a way to get back.

“So it's a proper test for us to see where we're at and yeah, we have gone toe-to-toe with them, and I suppose from summer last year it was one win each in that series, so they'll be looking at that as well. It's massively exciting because they're such a proud nation as well and when we play against them here in Dublin, it's always a thriller.” With Garry Ringrose declared fit for this Saturday after missing the last two matches with a hamstring strain and Bundee Aki looking to have hit his straps for the season with his performance off the bench against Australia, Henshaw picked the perfect time to declare his hand for selection in a competitive midfield that has also featured Stuart McLoskey and debutant Tom Farrell this month.

Starting outside McCloskey last weekend, Henshaw capped a fine performance with his side’s sixth and final try as he gathered an excellent running crossfield kick from auxiliary full-back Jamison Gibson-Park to race into the corner. It was the midfielder’s first try since the Grand Slam-securing victory over England in March 2023 and he spoke of his gratitude for the versatile scrum-half’s skillset.

“It was nice to get a score, haven't scored in a while,” Henshaw said. “I thought I was going to get caught in the corner, but thankfully, I wasn't.

“I was giving him (Gibson-Park) a hand signal. There was a bit of space. So thanks to him for being a heads-up rugby player and he's able to do class things off the cuff, coming on at 15 and just playing ball was unbelievable to see, so it's yeah, it was great.” After a summer on the sidelines as he missed out on both British & Irish Lions selection for a second tour and Ireland’s Tests in Georgia and Portugal, Henshaw is making up for lost time this season after turning his disappointment into an opportunity to recalibrate.

"It was tough, I'd have loved to have been there,” he said of the Lions tour to Australia, four years on from starting all three Tests against the Springboks. “Especially having been there in South Africa and not experiencing the full Lions experience with Covid.

"The timing with injury, bits like that didn't help.

"It gave me a good reset in terms of where I want to go with my game, how I want to move forward this season and beyond. In terms of pre-season, focusing on myself. I enjoyed pre-season, last few weeks.

“I've been happy, I've been building nicely. Got a good preseason in Leinster over the summer and the bodies in good shape. So yeah, I was happy to play in the last two 80s, which is great for me.” With a central contract inked until the 2027 World Cup, there is plenty of scope for Henshaw, a five-time Six Nations title winner, to close in on a century of Ireland caps and he believes he is capable of taking his own game to new levels.

"Definitely, there's more to give from me playing-wise, and helping guys as well. That's a big part of it, to help guys come through and to lead. I've been challenged in different ways like that, how can we bring it forward together. Not only on the pitch, but off it."

The same applies to Ireland and Henshaw added: “I think we conceded quite easily in first half in that second 20 minutes when (Australia) got a roll on. So with what's coming next week, it's more of that up-front physicality and big men running down our channels.

“I think we just need to meet them on the gainline and just front up. And that's kind of a thing we'd have to look at, is our physicality in around fringes and stopping momentum of teams.”