They should be with Mike Ruddock’s Ireland under-20s at the World Championships in France but instead Stuart Olding and Robbie Henshaw are primed to win their first caps against the USA at BBVA Compass stadium on Saturday evening.
Henshaw doesn’t turn 20 until next week but the Athlone teenager showcased the full package when nailing down the Connacht fullback slot this season, even when Gavin Duffy was fit, while Olding leap-frogged a respectable inside centre queue in Ulster.
Granted, he was assisted by injury to Paddy Wallace and Luke Marshall’s repetitive concussions, while Gordon D’Arcy is also on ice for the summer, but the Belfast boy has excelled when presented an opportunity in the Rabo Pro12.
Also, neither young man appears to be a physical liability. Henshaw’s official statistics have him at six-foot-one inch and 92 kilograms. He looks far more imposing up close.
Of course, Les Kiss also has proven options in Munster duo Felix Jones and James Downey but, clearly, Henshaw and Olding were pulled from the under-20s because it was felt they are good enough for Test match rugby.
It also seems likely the pair will be taking their cues from Ian Madigan. Kiss has stated that Paddy Jackson and Madigan will both get game time at outhalf against USA and Canada but the Blackrock outhalf-cum-fullback-cum-centre has been in sensational form all season, be it off the kicking tee or co-ordinating Leinster’s attack in Jonathan Sexton’s injury enforced absence.
Recovered well
Jackson, in fairness, admirably recovered from well documented struggles when trust under the spotlight by finishing Ulster’s campaign with some impressive displays, particularly the Pro12 final in Dublin.
But Madigan has been the outstanding Irish player this year. Take the Glasgow match at the RDS on March 23rd when he single-handedly beat the league leaders.
At a crucial moment, with Leinster trailing, he chipped out of his in-goal area, a risky move that threatened to back fire until he regathered and offloaded in traffic. Another sensational 60-metre break took Leinster into the scoring zone before a brilliant sleight of hand saw him dance over untouched for the winning try. It finished Madigan 22, Glasgow 17. “I thought his kicking was first rate,†said Joe Schmidt that night.
Incidentally, Schmidt lands in Houston tomorrow. Saturday would be Madigan’s first start after two caps off the bench during the Six Nations, at centre and remarkably scrumhalf, while Munster prop Dave Kilcoyne and Iain Henderson are also in line to make their first run outs in a green jersey having already amassed six and five caps this season.
Olding and Henshaw set to win their first Ireland caps
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