Jono Gibbes instills 'fear factor' in Ulster squad but fun key for Henderson's game
After ‘an eventful’ summer with no shortage of socialising in and out of rugby circles, Ulster’s powerhouse lock intends to play with a smile on his face.
Perhaps it’s not the height of professionalism, but in a sport that places an extremely high premium on unity and cohesiveness, it’s an intangible factor that coaches haven’t yet managed to find a better alternative for.
“Imagine taking away 40 guys and telling them you can’t drink for eight weeks, it just doesn’t work,” says Iain Henderson, who does nothing to poke holes in Marler’s case against the Ireland captain.
“After a game, everyone is allowed a beer, to have a night out. If you didn’t, it wouldn’t work, you’d be a caged animal by the last Test. It’s essential. With the club teams, you had a beer with your opposite man, I swapped jerseys with everyone I played against. I’ll have those memories for the rest of my life.”
Despite some excellent performances on tour, Henderson did not manage to force his way into the Test selection. It’s only in hindsight that he feels any frustration at being kept out of the equation for the biggest games. There’s no regret for the 25-year-old, he’s satisfied with the work and the showing he put in.
“If you had said to me six months before the tour that I would be a Lion but not get a Test spot I would have bitten your hand off. On the field but off the field too, I really, really enjoyed it.”
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Every player comes back from a Lions tour with news of how much they’ve learned. Some manage to put a finger on specifics, some point instead to a plethora of little things picked up from their peers in Scotland, Wales and England. Marler learned to drink, Henderson learned to enjoy playing the game.
Billy Stickland / INPHO
Billy Stickland / INPHO / INPHO
“I think I play better when I enjoy it,” says the lock.
“Maybe, when you’re worrying about the details of rugby, you forget to enjoy yourself. That maybe happened Ulster a bit last year, we had a decent start and then into the Champions Cup, you’ve lost a couple of games and you’re trying to get momentum back, forcing it a bit.
“From the tour I found that when you’re enjoying it, having a bit of craic along the way, you play better. That’s something we need to look at, something we have addressed and there’s a real positive buzz around the squad.”
Not so much positivity that these Ulster players are going around patting themselves on the back, promising this will be their year. That’s just not possible in an environment which now boasts Jono Gibbes as its head coach. The former Leinster and Clermont forwards coach sounds as though he is living up to his relentless reputation and, according to Henderson, his demands are keeping players well and truly on their toes.
James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“I’d heard a lot from the Leinster boys about what Jono is like, and he’s certainly lived up to that.
“There is a new fear factor among the boys, being pushed. Jono knows what he wants, and that’s no shock to anyone. He’s added that ‘nerves’ almost to the squad but that’s a real positive.”
It’s tough to enjoy rugby if you’re not winning after all. And the balance between hard slogs and happy faces is what Henderson can see forming after arriving late back to his team-mates after ‘an eventful’ summer in which he got married soon after returning from Lions duty.
It’s a fine line, getting everyone together, making a common goal, and everyone enjoying working towards it. We’re going to lose at some stage, but it’s how we react, how we build to it, and how we move towards the next game.”
“There’s excitement. There’s a buzz, a competitive buzz. There’s a few times boys have had a few beers over pre-season, that’s essential. There’s been a golf day, activities, up at the sand dunes in Portrush is always good craic…
“As a general rule, there’s been a lightened mood and this season we have to make sure that lasts through.”
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Jono Gibbes instills 'fear factor' in Ulster squad but fun key for Henderson's game
THERE’S NO GETTING away from it, there was a lot of drink taken by the men of the midweek Lions over the summer.
Last week, Joe Marler pointed the finger squarely at Rory Best as the instigator for the active social scene for anyone outside the Test match squad and the bearer of blame for why the England prop was ‘pissed’ each time his wife called.
Perhaps it’s not the height of professionalism, but in a sport that places an extremely high premium on unity and cohesiveness, it’s an intangible factor that coaches haven’t yet managed to find a better alternative for.
“Imagine taking away 40 guys and telling them you can’t drink for eight weeks, it just doesn’t work,” says Iain Henderson, who does nothing to poke holes in Marler’s case against the Ireland captain.
“After a game, everyone is allowed a beer, to have a night out. If you didn’t, it wouldn’t work, you’d be a caged animal by the last Test. It’s essential. With the club teams, you had a beer with your opposite man, I swapped jerseys with everyone I played against. I’ll have those memories for the rest of my life.”
Despite some excellent performances on tour, Henderson did not manage to force his way into the Test selection. It’s only in hindsight that he feels any frustration at being kept out of the equation for the biggest games. There’s no regret for the 25-year-old, he’s satisfied with the work and the showing he put in.
“If you had said to me six months before the tour that I would be a Lion but not get a Test spot I would have bitten your hand off. On the field but off the field too, I really, really enjoyed it.”
Every player comes back from a Lions tour with news of how much they’ve learned. Some manage to put a finger on specifics, some point instead to a plethora of little things picked up from their peers in Scotland, Wales and England. Marler learned to drink, Henderson learned to enjoy playing the game.
“I think I play better when I enjoy it,” says the lock.
“Maybe, when you’re worrying about the details of rugby, you forget to enjoy yourself. That maybe happened Ulster a bit last year, we had a decent start and then into the Champions Cup, you’ve lost a couple of games and you’re trying to get momentum back, forcing it a bit.
“From the tour I found that when you’re enjoying it, having a bit of craic along the way, you play better. That’s something we need to look at, something we have addressed and there’s a real positive buzz around the squad.”
Not so much positivity that these Ulster players are going around patting themselves on the back, promising this will be their year. That’s just not possible in an environment which now boasts Jono Gibbes as its head coach. The former Leinster and Clermont forwards coach sounds as though he is living up to his relentless reputation and, according to Henderson, his demands are keeping players well and truly on their toes.
“I’d heard a lot from the Leinster boys about what Jono is like, and he’s certainly lived up to that.
“There is a new fear factor among the boys, being pushed. Jono knows what he wants, and that’s no shock to anyone. He’s added that ‘nerves’ almost to the squad but that’s a real positive.”
It’s tough to enjoy rugby if you’re not winning after all. And the balance between hard slogs and happy faces is what Henderson can see forming after arriving late back to his team-mates after ‘an eventful’ summer in which he got married soon after returning from Lions duty.
“There’s excitement. There’s a buzz, a competitive buzz. There’s a few times boys have had a few beers over pre-season, that’s essential. There’s been a golf day, activities, up at the sand dunes in Portrush is always good craic…
“As a general rule, there’s been a lightened mood and this season we have to make sure that lasts through.”
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