Joe Schmidt stated that Robbie Henshaw would be considered as Ireland’s back-up No.15 in South Africa only for Rob Kearney to pull up lame.
Ireland landed in Cape Town on Monday and, after a quick dip at the Waterfront, headed for a loosening session on the training pitch.
Today’s training session, at Westefield School, was effectively the last chance for players pushing for first Test selection to make their case. For Stuart Olding, this could be the day he looks back upon when he is sitting on 70 Irish caps as a pivotal piece of our midfield.
Olding, who can also cover fullback, is to be given the opportunity to partner Jared Payne in Ireland’s midfield. Schmidt is keen to keep Payne at outside centre, especially now that the likes of Johnny Sexton, Luke Fitzgerald and the Kearneys (Rob and Dave) are injured.
The accommodation here would be to shift Robbie Henshaw back to fullback, where he often featured for Connacht in their title-winning season. It is also a position from which he excelled for his province before Schmidt identified him as a centre. Many then assumed he would replace Brian O’Driscoll but Schmidt earmarked him for the Gordon D’Arcy role.
Luke Marshall is the other option at inside centre but Schmidt, like most folks, likes the looks of Olding. Les Kiss gave the Ulster back his debut in 2013 and did so with Schmidt’s encouragement.
Injury followed, as it irritatingly has for Olding, but he got a run out for Schmidt’s Ireland in November 2014. He scored a try against Georgia but injury intervened again. He was a player going places until his body protested.
His comeback for Ulster was somewhat stalled, last season, and when he returned Marshall had formed a good partnership with Stuart McCloskey [inexplicably overlooked for this tour]. He proved his malleability in the backline by appearing at inside and outside centre, as well as in the white No.15.
14 appearances [eight starts] led to two tries and three assists. Ulster looked better when Olding was in their backline and Les Kiss spoke optimistically of having a fully fit Olding in from the get-go next season.
Having suggested Schmidt try Henshaw at fullback, we were then impressed by his performances at outside centre in Connacht’s triumphant run to Guinness PRO12 glory.
He had the game of his life in the 20-10 final victory over Leinster as he melded an incisive, offloading performance to his usual, solid defence.
The remainder of Schmidt’s match-day selection should be conservative enough – Ultan Dillane and Iain Henderson as powerful bench options – but the most interesting aspect will be what happens to Olding-Henshaw-Payne.
Three players and three positions to fill but only Joe knows how it is going to end up.
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