CHRIS HENRY WAS in the throes of his teenage kicks when Brian O’Driscoll ran in his epoch-making trio of tries against France in Paris back in 2000. This Saturday, Henry will line-up with O’Driscoll at Stade de France as Ireland seek to send their talisman into the sunset with his second Six Nations winners’ medal.
Henry excelled, once again, at openside and six Irishmen ran in seven tries against Italy. The focus, however, was firmly on the world’s most capped rugby player, his stunning range of passing and offloads, and a farewell to the very fans he has enthralled for the last 15 years.
“It’s a shame he is giving up,” said Henry, “because he can still play but obviously his body can’t take it. Some of the skill, offloads he gives and his lines. He is so competitive but the basics of rucking, making tackles, getting on the ball. I remember being inside him on one of his turnovers — he is another flanker on the pitch. His all-round game is incredible. That is why he has played for so long and has been so important for this team.
“It is crazy to think how many young kids he has inspired. I remember watching him when I was young and I feel very privileged to be able to play with him. It’s a sad day, of course, but it is also a happy day. The noise level when he came off on 60 minutes, I have never heard noise like it. It was pretty awesome.”
Henry said Ireland were reasonably happy with their 17-7 lead at half-time and paid credit to his fellow packmates for providing quick ball for the O’Driscoll-inspired backline. Despite losing captain Sergio Parisse before the match and experienced prop Martin Castrogiovanni after 12 minutes, the flanker insisted Italy made Ireland work for their win.
He said, “We knew it was going to be physical, going to be hard. When they got the turnover and scored the try against the grain, we thought this was exactly what they wanted and needed, for a bit of life. We had to really stick at it, stick hard, stick to what we were about and we did it quite well. Obviously, a lot to work on.
“Because we attacked so positively and wanted to run from everywhere, there were always going to be turnovers from us as well. That is something next week, we just can’t do. We can’t lose the ball just as much. But when you are trying to run the ball as much, trying to be so positive, mistakes are going to happen.”
Henry was part of the Irish guard of honour for O'Driscoll after the game. Colm O'Neill / INPHO
Colm O'Neill / INPHO / INPHO
The Ulster flanker feels Ireland, under the meticulous, rucking obsessed coaching of Joe Schmidt, are ‘getting better week to week’. He is also pleased with his own form. He said:
I feel like for me, because I have got a run of games, yes, without a doubt I’m feeling very comfortable in that place .There is more to come from me. There were a few things in my own game that I wasn’t happy with. You always assess the games and improve but when you are playing around big players, it brings out the best in you as well. Hopefully if I can play again next week, it will be my best game yet.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s clash with France, Henry summed up what every rugby-loving person in the country is thinking. “It’s huge,” he said. “ I have travelled to Paris as a 25th man before, but never got to play. But the atmosphere is intimidating. It is going to be a really hard game. Obviously playing away from home in Twickenham, there were a few opportunities we didn’t take and the game got away from us. When you are playing the best teams, it is that one chance, one opportunity that you create and you don’t take.
“For us, we have to get back to Carton House, get working hard, get the head down. Today was special with Brian’s last game at home. Everyone in the changing room felt honoured and lucky to play in it. It was a real special day. But for us, we owe it to him, we owe it to ourselves to go over there and give ourselves the best shout. Everyone is confident, if we show up and play the way we can, there is no reason why we can’t win this for him.”
'There is no reason why we can't win this for him' - Henry plots triumphant BOD farewell
CHRIS HENRY WAS in the throes of his teenage kicks when Brian O’Driscoll ran in his epoch-making trio of tries against France in Paris back in 2000. This Saturday, Henry will line-up with O’Driscoll at Stade de France as Ireland seek to send their talisman into the sunset with his second Six Nations winners’ medal.
Henry excelled, once again, at openside and six Irishmen ran in seven tries against Italy. The focus, however, was firmly on the world’s most capped rugby player, his stunning range of passing and offloads, and a farewell to the very fans he has enthralled for the last 15 years.
“It’s a shame he is giving up,” said Henry, “because he can still play but obviously his body can’t take it. Some of the skill, offloads he gives and his lines. He is so competitive but the basics of rucking, making tackles, getting on the ball. I remember being inside him on one of his turnovers — he is another flanker on the pitch. His all-round game is incredible. That is why he has played for so long and has been so important for this team.
“It is crazy to think how many young kids he has inspired. I remember watching him when I was young and I feel very privileged to be able to play with him. It’s a sad day, of course, but it is also a happy day. The noise level when he came off on 60 minutes, I have never heard noise like it. It was pretty awesome.”
Henry said Ireland were reasonably happy with their 17-7 lead at half-time and paid credit to his fellow packmates for providing quick ball for the O’Driscoll-inspired backline. Despite losing captain Sergio Parisse before the match and experienced prop Martin Castrogiovanni after 12 minutes, the flanker insisted Italy made Ireland work for their win.
He said, “We knew it was going to be physical, going to be hard. When they got the turnover and scored the try against the grain, we thought this was exactly what they wanted and needed, for a bit of life. We had to really stick at it, stick hard, stick to what we were about and we did it quite well. Obviously, a lot to work on.
“Because we attacked so positively and wanted to run from everywhere, there were always going to be turnovers from us as well. That is something next week, we just can’t do. We can’t lose the ball just as much. But when you are trying to run the ball as much, trying to be so positive, mistakes are going to happen.”
The Ulster flanker feels Ireland, under the meticulous, rucking obsessed coaching of Joe Schmidt, are ‘getting better week to week’. He is also pleased with his own form. He said:
Looking ahead to Saturday’s clash with France, Henry summed up what every rugby-loving person in the country is thinking. “It’s huge,” he said. “ I have travelled to Paris as a 25th man before, but never got to play. But the atmosphere is intimidating. It is going to be a really hard game. Obviously playing away from home in Twickenham, there were a few opportunities we didn’t take and the game got away from us. When you are playing the best teams, it is that one chance, one opportunity that you create and you don’t take.
“For us, we have to get back to Carton House, get working hard, get the head down. Today was special with Brian’s last game at home. Everyone in the changing room felt honoured and lucky to play in it. It was a real special day. But for us, we owe it to him, we owe it to ourselves to go over there and give ourselves the best shout. Everyone is confident, if we show up and play the way we can, there is no reason why we can’t win this for him.”
– Additional reporting by Murray Kinsella
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