Murray Kinsella reports from St. George’s Park
IRELAND SAY ROBBIE Henshaw is on track to be fit in time to face Romania in their second Pool D clash of the Rugby World Cup.
The 22-year-old centre missed yesterday’s 50-7 victory over Canada after straining his right hamstring at training earlier in the week.
However, Joe Schmidt and his staff are confident that the Connacht midfielder’s rehabilitation is progressing well and believe that Henshaw will be fit for Sunday’s meeting with the Romanians at Wembley Stadium in London.
Robbie is progressing very well through his rehab and the expectation is that he’d be available for selection for the Romania game on Sunday,” said team manager Mick Kearney this evening at Ireland’s new training base in St. George’s Park.
Henshaw has not trained with Ireland since straining his hamstring, but Kearney says “the expectation would be that he would train this week.”
Happily, Ireland picked up no fresh injury concerns during yesterday’s win over Canada at the Millennium Stadium.
In comparison to the major injury worries Wales head coach Warren Gatland is currently dealing with, Ireland have been lucky so far.
“Thankfully in relation to yesterday apart from the normal bumps and bruises associated with Test rugby we’ve got a clean bill of health, which is good news,” said Kearney.
“Injuries are part and parcel of it but I think we’ve actually done really well, apart from losing Tommy O’Donnell. We’ve now come through Canada well too so it’s good news.”
This evening, Ireland are settling into their new training base at St. George’s Park, the English FA’s world-class training facility near Burton-on-Trent.
The squad will receive an official welcome in the nearby town tomorrow night, and Kearney says Ireland are delighted with the set-up at St. George’s Park, with its wide range of pitches, an on-site gym and state-of-the-art recovery facilities, as well as a luxury hotel and spa.
Ireland will travel on to London on Friday.
What a fantastic facility, the home of English football,” said Kearney. “We looked at a number of venues in London but then we came up here and we were really impressed.
“I’ve been here three times and Joe also came over six months ago and was massively impressed by the set-up.
“Everything that a professional team would wish for in terms of preparation is here, it’s all in the ground, we don’t need to get on buses. I think the welcome ceremony in Burton on Monday night will probably be the only time we’ll leave the facility until Friday, so we’re absolutely delighted to be here.”
