Henshaw effectively ruled out of Scotland match
Ireland are refusing to give up hope that Robbie Henshaw can shake off his hamstring injury and play a significant part in the World Cup.
Assistant coach Greg Feek admitted centre Henshaw is “very, very unlikely” to feature against Scotland in Yokohama on Sunday for the Pool A opener.
But the Ireland scrum coach insisted Henshaw’s early reaction to his hamstring issue allows team bosses to hold out hope he can recover to take part in the competition.
Ireland have opted not to release the full extent of Henshaw’s injury, but a team spokesman confirmed the 26-year-old will definitely not be returning home and is still part of the 31-man squad.
Henshaw suffered his hamstring problem in training on Saturday, leaving Ireland fretting over his status since.
Asked if Henshaw had been ruled out for the Scotland match, Feek said: “Well not really but you can read between the lines.
“Robbie’s looking very, very unlikely for this weekend obviously.
“But we’ve just got back from training and still sorting things out, but I think it’s reasonably positive in terms of what we saw.
Reasonably positive news on Robbie Henshaw @henshawrob after the scan.
He is unlikely to feature v @Scotlandteam
He will be monitored and managed by the medical staff over the rest of the week and will not be returning home. 😀#shouldertoshoulder
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) September 16, 2019
“Some of these guys, day by day, week by week, they can improve dramatically as opposed to the average human. So we’ll just take it like that at the moment.
“It’s looking positive, so from here on in we’ll just see how it goes in the next few days and then maybe reassess in the not too distant future.”
Feek admitted Henshaw will be relieved by the positive news on his hamstring complaint, with Ireland still hoping he can shake off his blow quickly.
“He’s a good man, great to have around, his work ethic is incredible and you know he’s doing the work,” said Feek.
“To be at this stage now there’s probably a sense of relief.”
Feek also confirmed that Joey Carbery trained fully on Monday, leaving him well placed to feature against Scotland at the weekend.
Playmaker Carbery suffered an ankle ligament injury in Ireland’s opening World Cup warm-up match against Italy in Dublin on August 10.
The 23-year-old had faced a race against time to be ready for Ireland’s World Cup opener, but now seems to have pulled off that feat.
“Joey was running around today and trained, he looked pretty good,” said Feek.
“So we’re just all really happy for him more than anything.”
Comments on RugbyPass
smith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
36 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
36 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
36 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
36 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
36 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
36 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
36 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
36 Go to comments