IRELAND COACH JOE Schmidt is confident that Robbie Henshaw will fit comfortably into the 12 shirt against South Africa, as Jared Payne makes his international debut at outside centre.
Schmidt believes that the experience surrounding the midfield duo will be an important factor as they look to combine as successfully as Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll have done for Ireland in recent years.
D’Arcy misses out on selection this weekend, with Schmidt explaining that the veteran centre’s struggles with a calf injury since Leinster’s win away to Castres in the Heineken Cup two weekends ago meant he was unable to train fully.
That in turn allowed Henshaw and Payne to build up an exciting understanding at the Carton House sessions.
It was at the start of last week what was available to us,” said Schmidt of his selection this afternoon. “Robbie is a good centre and his flexibility to play 12 or 13 is similar to Jared. That’s the way they trained last week and we’ve decided to keep a bit of continuity with that.
“Gordon was injured last week, and he’s probably back to full fitness now, but we weren’t absolutely sure of that at the start of the week. We get small windows of preparation, we come together for very brief windows of time. We just felt we were part way along a pathway that was looking reasonably positive.
“The two lads have gone in there together and done a good job. To be fair to Gordon D’Arcy, he’s helped immeasurably. He’s been a mentor for Robbie and Jared this week.
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Henshaw shifts inside to wear the 12 shirt. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“It was going to be a new pairing no matter what happened and we decided to go with the pairing that we had the most time to work with.”
At just 21, Henshaw will win his fourth cap this weekend. The Connacht man looks physically ready for the task, although the fact that he is in an unfamiliar midfield pairing adds to the test of his abilities against the Boks.
Schmidt says the only way to find out is to put Henshaw to the test. Payne makes his international bow against the second best team in world rugby, but again the Ireland coach is comfortable.
I think Handré Pollard has played through the Rugby Championship as a 20-year-old kid. Jan Serfontein has played as a 21-year-old kid. I mean when is he ready? Unless you give opportunity, you’re not going to know.
“So it’s a really important benchmark game for us, those two guys and the other players.
The lack of experience in Ireland’s centre partnership is more than compensated for by those around them, according to Schmidt. While he could have waited until the Georgia fixtures to run Henshaw and Payne together, the Boks will provide a sterner examination.
“I think that inside them is Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton, outside them is Tommy Bowe with over 50 caps, Simon Zebo with less caps – again we’re a little restricted with injuries there, but we’re excited about what Simon’s going to bring. Rob Kearney is at the back with lots of experience.
Schmidt has suggested that Payne and Henshaw will be interchangeable. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
“There’s never going to be a perfect time I don’t think, but in the preparation window we had available to us, the quality of play that both Jared and Robbie, even over the last two years, we’ve gone into it with a little bit of confidence that they will give a good account of themselves.
“It’s a great test for them, and there’s no doubt it will be a big test for them.”
Henshaw has been operating almost exclusively as an outside centre for Connacht this season, although he did get a stint at inside centre against the Exeter Chiefs in the Challenge Cup last month.
“I know he started the game at 13,” says Schmidt. “If he ran at 12, it’s no different to Jean de Villiers – he defends at 13 but he’s got 12 on his back.
“That’s what I said about centres. I do think that centres normally have that changeability and with Robbie and Jared, you may see a bit of that anyway.”
That last line from Joe is comforting. What has made Henshaw stand out besides his off loads & passing is his defence and shooting as an OUTSIDE centre back. You simply can’t shoot from inside and if he tries (which he will, cause he’s young and confident) it’ll leave massive gaps in the second channel. So it’s good to know that they’ll interchange like that.
If anything with Henshaw on the outside defending and Payne on the outside attacking, Joe could have just put together the best way to use any centre backs in the country.
BOD was on Off The Ball a few weeks ago and he talked about how the modern centre isn’t a case of first and second centre. The numbers on the back are just that. What the centre partnership does is interchangeable between the two. What’s far more important than who is at twelve and thirteen is how Henshaw and Payne will work together. That’s the real test of this new setup.
JS is talking through his hoop. If Darcy is fit, as he said above, he should be playing and either Henshaw or Payne outside him. Darcy doesn’t need any prep time in JS’ system at this stage.
And I think it’s a bit unfair of JS to say what he did about Pollard and Serfontein. Those lads are young but are playing in their normal positions – neither of our centres are in their normal positions. If they go well, does JS stick with it? If it doesn’t does he try again or is this combo binned?
If we lose tomorrow it won’t be the end of the world. What’s more important is the performance and the way the combinations played. This is a dress rehearsal for 6 Nations and World Cup. Schmit realises this. A result would be great but not fatal. If O Mahony lasts 80 mins we have a chance. Feeling he might have a short career. Hope not.
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That last line from Joe is comforting. What has made Henshaw stand out besides his off loads & passing is his defence and shooting as an OUTSIDE centre back. You simply can’t shoot from inside and if he tries (which he will, cause he’s young and confident) it’ll leave massive gaps in the second channel. So it’s good to know that they’ll interchange like that.
If anything with Henshaw on the outside defending and Payne on the outside attacking, Joe could have just put together the best way to use any centre backs in the country.
By God, Schmidt’s some man.
BOD was on Off The Ball a few weeks ago and he talked about how the modern centre isn’t a case of first and second centre. The numbers on the back are just that. What the centre partnership does is interchangeable between the two. What’s far more important than who is at twelve and thirteen is how Henshaw and Payne will work together. That’s the real test of this new setup.
Jared Payne looks like the brother in the Wedding Crashers!
(Sorry)
Go Ireland!
If this partnership works itll be “HP” special sauce!
JS is talking through his hoop. If Darcy is fit, as he said above, he should be playing and either Henshaw or Payne outside him. Darcy doesn’t need any prep time in JS’ system at this stage.
And I think it’s a bit unfair of JS to say what he did about Pollard and Serfontein. Those lads are young but are playing in their normal positions – neither of our centres are in their normal positions. If they go well, does JS stick with it? If it doesn’t does he try again or is this combo binned?
If this works it will make things very interesting!
He is right. You don’t know until you try it.
Interesting!!
If we lose tomorrow it won’t be the end of the world. What’s more important is the performance and the way the combinations played. This is a dress rehearsal for 6 Nations and World Cup. Schmit realises this. A result would be great but not fatal. If O Mahony lasts 80 mins we have a chance. Feeling he might have a short career. Hope not.