Henshaw called into Ireland senior training panel

THE ascent through the ranks of Irish rugby by Athlone native Robbie Henshaw continued apace today (Thursday) when the Coosan native was called into Declan Kidney's Ireland senior squad for the upcoming O2 Ireland Wolfhounds game and the opening game of the RBS Six Nations Championship against Wales. The 19 year-old, who recently penned a two-year professional contract with Connacht, with whom he's featured regularly for this season, is part of a 39-strong squad and is among six newcomers, along with Paddy Jackson, Ian Madigan, Paul Marshall, Dave McSharry and Lewis Stevenson. The senior Ireland coaching team will take charge of the Wolfhounds side, for which Henshaw is likely to feature, against England Saxons in the Sportsground, Galway on Friday, January 25. The move to involve the senior coaches with the Wolfhounds team is designed to aid preparations for Ireland's opening game against Wales in Cardiff by giving them the opportunity to work with the players and also give those same players a chance to impress. The squad will see several further additions to it, primarily in the back-row, following this weekend's round of European games. Both squads will train together in Carton House, with a Wolfhounds squad selected later next week. After the Wolfhounds game, a shortened training squad will be selected for the Wales game. In addition to the squad being announced, it was also confirmed that Jamie Heaslip will continue in the captaincy role for the RBS Six Nations Championship, after leading the side during the Guinness Series in November. Mike McCarthy, who like Henshaw is registered with Buccaneers RFC in Athlone, is also among the squad. Ireland training squad: M Bent, R Best, I Boss, D Cave, T Court, S Cronin, D'Arcy, K Earls, L Fitzgerald, D Fitzpatrick, C Gilroy, C Healy, J Heaslip (capt), I Henderson, R Henshaw, P Jackson, R Kearney, D Kilcoyne, I Madigan, P Marshall, C Murray, M McCarthy, F McFadden, D McSharry, S O'Brien, D O'Callaghan, B O'Driscoll, R O'Gara, P O'Mahony, E Reddan, M Ross, D Ryan, J Sexton, L Stevenson, R Strauss, D Toner, A Trimble, S Zebo.