Robbie Henshaw keen to be centre-stage as plan of attack takes shape

This time four years ago he was embarking on his final year at school, during which he would captain Marist College to their first Connacht Schools Cup title.

Three years ago this month he made his debut for Connacht. And even at this point a year ago he had only started one Test. Yet as he prepares for his seasonal reappearance against Wales this Saturday, Robbie Henshaw is already the established number 12 and one of Ireland's great hopes for the World Cup.

It’s been quite a steep rise for the rapidly maturing 22-year-old, whose physical stature and innate ability have also helped him make the transition from a fullback-cum- outside centre to inside centre.

The match-winner against England last season, when starting all seven of Ireland’s front-line Tests save for the game against Georgia, in theory he should be even better again this season.

“I think I’ve matured as a player,” he said at the squad’s base in the Carton House yesterday. “I’m still pretty young. But, from last year being involved in the squad regularly, I’ve matured into that centre role. I’m really looking forward to getting in there, into the thick of things. More and more, in the last couple of years, I’ve definitely come on in leaps and bounds.”

A turning point, he said, was the Guinness Series in November last season, when there were wins over South Africa and Australia, the former inside Jared Payne, the latter outside Gordon D'Arcy.

“On the back of the Novembers last year I felt I did pretty well and I could mix it with these guys. It gave me confidence going into the Six Nations. When we performed the way we did to win back-to-back, it gave me huge confidence. That was the turning point when I felt I could compete with these guys.”

Experience

The previous season had been spent “on the edge” of the squad, seemingly as the anointed successor to Brian O’Driscoll, if ultimately he has inherited D’Arcy’s number 12 jersey.

“I was 24th man a lot. It was almost like a learning curve for me in a way. I got to experience what the training weeks were like. I got to jump in and out for the guys in the centre. I got the experience of match day in the changing room and how to prepare yourself and what was expected. It really opened my eyes for what I needed to prepare myself for in the coming year. That helped me massively.”

Forming a new midfield axis with Payne was initially about building blocks, primarily in defence.

“That was the first thing, creating that partnership in defence and making sure we were rock-solid and no one was breaking us. And I think we did a pretty good job of that last year.

“That was the main thing, creating that relationship that no one would break us, and I suppose the attacking things are coming now and we’re learning from one another every week so I think it’s really expanding.”

Indeed, Henshaw can scarcely conceal his excitement about the increased attacking potential of his midfield partnership alongside Johnny Sexton, which, as a 10-12-13 combination, has only played together five times.

“I think we’re going to play a lot more in the coming weeks. We’re going to attack a lot more and it’s going to be more exciting play. Obviously we’ll look to exploit our strengths, whether it’s kicking in the air or just running hard lines in the centre. I think we’ll look to change it up a little bit in the coming weeks.”

Henshaw’s admiration of his two sidekicks is palpable, and he says of Payne: “I was just having a word with one of the lads during the week about how I was just amazed by the amount of time he has on the ball. When he has it on his hands, it seems like players are rushing around him, that kind of way.

“He is a balanced kind of player and when he has the ball he is looking to exploit the defence and in his defensive game as well he always makes the right read and he always has your back and he is really perfect to have outside you in that number 13 shirt.

“He has done really well for us. It just seems like he doesn’t panic when he is on the ball. He just plays what is in front of him and is just a really good player.”

Aggression

Henshaw accepts he may have to temper his innate aggression a little. “Around the discipline area I’m looking to clean up, not getting side-tracked by off-the-ball things or anything like that. But aggression is really good to have in any game, especially around the tackle area and the breakdown, and I would see that as one of the positive things I have to my game. I might have to look to clean it up a bit but I’ll still look to bring it to my game and really to hit the offence with some aggression.”

Like his second season with Connacht, Henshaw also says there may be less space available to him. But with pressure to make the World Cup squad ratcheted up in training this week, he cannot afford to be too rusty this Saturday either.

“I just want to get back into the thick of things and get my hands on the ball. Just get that first 80 minutes hopefully under my belt. Just go well, run hard, make my tackles, and really put in a good defensive shift,” he says.

“I suppose we need to look at what happened in the Scottish game and be more urgent and clinical around the defensive areas. I think we’ve put a big focus on that this week.”