Injury cloud hangs over Ireland star...again
NEWS: Ireland’s World Cup ambitions have suffered a potentially grievous injury blow just over a week before they commence their campaign in Japan against Scotland.
According to RugbyPass, Robbie Henshaw is likely to miss the all-important clash versus the Scots in Yokohama on September 22, it is also possible that his participation in the entire tournament is under threat after he suffered a hamstring tear.
Ireland flew out for the finals on Wednesday after Henshaw had seemingly proven his fitness with a fine performance in his first match of the season, last Saturday’s Dublin warm-up win over Wales.
However, history is now set to repeat itself as it appears the centre will not be available to face the Scots in the 2019 opener similar to what happened in 2015 when he missed the opening two games of that tournament with a hamstring problem.
The 26-year-old eventually returned to start the remaining three games of that five-match campaign, featuring against Italy, France and in the quarterfinal with Argentina, but there is now a concern that he might not even get on the field at any stage in Japan due to the severity of this particular hamstring issue.
If Henshaw is unavailable to face the Scots, Ireland, who are currently based in Chiba until next Wednesday’s switch to Yokohama, would have to pair near ever-present No.12 Bundee Aki with either Garry Ringrose or Chris Farrell.
Aki partnered Ringrose in the humiliating warm-up defeat to England at Twickenham before linking up with Farrell the following weekend in the win over Wales in Cardiff. The New Zealander then lined up alongside Henshaw last weekend in Dublin in a contest where that pairing looked the most impressive of the three that were used across the three games.
Until Henshaw’s damaged hamstring, Joey Carbery had been Ireland’s only injury concern leading into the must-win World Cup opener. The back-up flyhalf injured his ankle in the first warm-up match versus Italy on August 10.
By Liam Heagney, @RugbyPass
