IT’S STANDARD FOR team-mates to be effusive in praise for each other — but there appears to be something more to the bond forming between Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose.
Since first striking a chord in the interpro hammering of Munster back in October, the pair have worked in tandem seamlessly in the Leinster midfield and demonstrated the devastating potential they possess.
Injuries, internationals and IRFU player welfare policy have meant opportunities have been limited since but watching the Henshaw-Ringrose axis fire again on Friday night was like poetry in motion; the hype is justified.
Even allowing for an opposition that were hardly worthy of the title, the partnership showed incredibly encouraging signs again outside of the returning Johnny Sexton who was masterful in marshaling proceedings for the eastern province.
There is a genuine understanding there between the two centres, both in attack and defence, and a trust forged on knowing each other’s games inside out.
“It’s been going really well,” Henshaw said yesterday.
The pair have established a great understanding of each other’s games. Source: James Crombie/INPHO
“I’m enjoying playing with him and we fed off one another well at the weekend. It was brilliant to get back on the pitch with Garry. Two of us had some nice touches and a couple of offloads and we worked well together so looking forward to bringing that on into the future hopefully.
Henshaw may be the more experienced operator, but it’s sometimes easy to forget that there’s just two years between the pair in age.
The Athlone native’s move to Dublin has allowed the team-mates to spend more time together off the pitch, and form much more than a working relationship.
“A centre partnership is all about sitting down and getting to know the person off the pitch as well and myself and Garry have a good understanding of each other now,” the former Connacht man added.
With the Zebre defence — if you could call it that — providing little or no resistance in the face of Leinster’s unrelenting onslaught, Henshaw and Ringrose were afforded time and space with the ball to tear the Italians apart.
From the off, it clicked.
In the build-up to Leinster’s opening try, courtesy of Sean O’Brien, the half-back and midfield combination linked beautifully to create the chance.
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Ringrose, Noel Reid and Henshaw after a good day’s work, beating Northampton before Christmas. Source: Gary Carr/INPHO
McGrath-Sexton-Henshaw-Ringrose, from one 22 to another.