Henshaw named in Irish team to take on USA
Teenage star Robbie Henshaw (19) continued his rapid elevation through the ranks of Irish rugby when he was named in the Irish XV to play USA in Houston on Saturday next.
The Athlone youngster only left the Marist College last year and has enjoyed a phenomenal first year with Connacht, earning both the overall Connacht Player of the Year and Irish Young Player of the Year awards.
But now Henshaw will earn his first full cap, having previously played with the Irish Wolfhounds and Ireland Under 20s this season.
Henshaw was named in the full back position as one of two new caps in the starting team to take on USA in the summer international in Houston on Saturday
The Coosan native will now become the first teenager to be receive a senior cap for Ireland since the dawn of the professional era. Gordon Darcy was the last teenger to be capped at senior level for reland, but his breakthrough was before rugby entered the professional age.
Henshaw turns 20 on June 12 - so his selection for the USA match means he is set to make a piece of Irish rugby history.
The full Irish team, announced in the last half hour is:
IRELAND Team & Replacements (v USA, BBVA Compass Stadium, Houston, Summer Tour Test, Saturday June 8, kick-off 7.45pm local time/1.45am Irish time):
Player/Club/Province/Caps -
15. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Connacht) *
14. Fergus McFadden (Old Belvedere/Leinster) 17
13. Darren Cave (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 3
12. Stuart Olding (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
11. Simon Zebo (Cork Constitution/Munster) 5
10. Ian Madigan (Blackrock College/Leinster) 2
9. Isaac Boss (Terenure College/Leinster) 15
1. David Kilcoyne (UL Bohemians/Munster) 6
2. Richardt Strauss (Old Wesley/Leinster) 2
3. Mike Ross (Clontarf/Leinster) 29
4. Mike McCarthy (Buccaneers/Connacht) 10
5. Devin Toner (Lansdowne/Leinster) 5
6. Iain Henderson (Ballynahinch/Ulster) 5
7. Chris Henry (Malone/Ulster) 6
8. Peter O'Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster) (capt) 14
Replacements:
16. Mike Sherry (Garryowen/Munster) *
17. Jamie Hagan (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
18. Tom Court (Malone/Ulster) 30
19. Dan Tuohy (Ballymena/Ulster) 5
20. Tommy O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
21. Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) 1
22. Paddy Jackson (Dungannon/Ulster) 3
23. Felix Jones (Shannon/Munster) 3
Highlights and behind the scenes footage from the Irish summer tour so far can be seen on www.youtube.com/O2Rugby.