Hand ligament damage rules Robbie Henshaw out of Argentina tour

Unearthing the actor to follow Laurence Olivier as Richard III was not fraught with such inconvenience. Robbie Henshaw's withdrawal from the Ireland squad that departs for Argentina on Sunday, due to damaged hand ligaments that require surgery, spoils an eagerly anticipated audition.

In 2007 the Ireland under-20s captured a grand slam, with Darren Cave nudging Keith Earls onto the wing. That pair will covet the 13 jersey against the Pumas as Gordon D'Arcy and Tommy Bowe spend the summer mending their ageing limbs while Jared Payne is ineligible until November.

That should mean Henshaw’s replacement on tour will not be an outside centre. Brendan Macken and Eoin Griffin would beg to differ. Both natural outside centres, they are due in Romania with the Emerging Ireland group, making Craig Gilroy or Andrew Conway more likely candidates to profit from the Athlone prodigy’s misfortune.

“Robbie sustained the injury earlier in the season and it had not limited his ability to train or play,” said the IRFU, before adding: “He exacerbated the injury in training this week and further specialist advice has recommended that surgical repair of the damaged ligaments should not be delayed further.”

Doubts festered

It’s no secret that Joe Schmidt has been priming the Athlone prodigy to become Brian O’Driscoll’s long-term successor, as seen when doubts festered over O’Driscoll’s fitness last November. The veteran shadowed Henshaw in training as Schmidt endeavoured to have him switch permanently from fullback to centre.

Henshaw got a brief taste of how difficult the job is against the Wallabies. On return to Connacht he wore 15 again but the arrival of All Black centurion Mils Muliaina, coupled with Griffin’s move to London Irish, should see Henshaw play regularly in the centre.

At 6ft 3ins and 15 and a half stone, he certainly offers a more physical option in Ireland’s midfield. But that’s of no value to Schmidt this summer.

It does provide a massive opportunity for Cave, who will come under enormous pressure to retain the 13 jersey in Ulster next season from Payne, especially considering the province is actively seeking to sign a fullback, possibly Scotland's Stuart Hogg.

Dress rehearsals

It makes the Argentina Tests, on June 7th and 14th, more like dress rehearsals as come November the battle to succeed O’Driscoll looks set to be between D’Arcy, Payne and Henshaw.

Unless Earls muscles his way into the debate. Fergus McFadden can provide cover but, like Earls, his reputation has been enhanced as a winger.

Same can be said about Bowe and Luke Fitzgerald.

At least there are options. Just not in South America.

Any concern about Henshaw’s injury creating a weakness at fullback can be dismissed as Rob Kearney, Felix Jones, Simon Zebo and Ian Madigan are all touring.

The player that replaces Henshaw, who turns 21 on June 12th, will probably not be announced until after tomorrow’s Pro12 final, which injury-permitting will see 10 Leinster players flying out of Dublin the following day.