IT IS A little over 10 years since the pair first played together in the same starting line-up, but Garry Ringrose continues to “feel grateful” that he gets to feature alongside Robbie Henshaw for both province and country.
Just a few months on from facing each other as rival number 13s when Connacht defeated their interprovincial rivals to secure a historic Pro12 title at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Ringrose and Henshaw (making his competitive debut for the Blues) formed a centre partnership when Leinster faced Munster in the same competition at the Aviva Stadium on 8 October 2016.
Although there is strong competition within the current squad, there is every chance this duo will once again be selected at midfield for the latest clash between the same two teams at Irish Rugby HQ in the United Rugby Championship this Saturday.
Ringrose and the Westmeath native have also enjoyed some good days as Ireland colleagues and could do so again very soon after they were both named in Andy Farrell’s senior squad for the upcoming Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series on Wednesday.
Appreciation
“Robbie’s brilliant. The amount of work he gets through and the fact that he was in South Africa [for Leinster’s early round URC tussles with the Lions and the Sharks] and was able to play a bit of six, and in the centre, shows his ability in terms of ball carrying and the physical side of things,” Ringrose remarked at a Leinster media briefing earlier this week.
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“Then getting the chance to play alongside him from a footballing perspective and putting guys into space and through holes. He’s someone I have learned a load off and enjoy competing with and competing against as well. Because he can play 12 and 13. So he’s definitely one guy that I feel grateful to play with.”
While the likes of Charlie Tector and Hugh Cooney have featured there on a number of occasions – as well as versatile figures such as Jimmy O’Brien and Harry Byrne – the main alternative to either Ringrose or Henshaw at centre in the present Leinster set-up is expected to be Jamie Osborne.
Despite being used as a starting full-back by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell in 12 international tests – including twice on a summer tour of South Africa in 2024 – Osborne has donned either the number 12 or 13 jersey a grand total of 50 times in the blue of Leinster.
This suggests Ringrose is more likely to be a direct partner of Osborne (also included in Farrell’s 36-man squad for the November internationals) at provincial rather than test level soon, but he views the Kildare man as a valuable asset regardless of where he plays.
“Similar to Robbie, he would have a lot of similar traits to what I just said. One thing that I was always impressed by when he first came in the building was, he played at 12, played at 13, played on the wing.
“Then over in South Africa with Ireland to deliver how he did at 15 when Hugo was with the sevens. For Jamie to step up and play 15 and to deliver under the pressure that he did for those two games, I admired him to that point. He’s someone that ticks a whole lot of boxes.”
Derby
Considering there are key figures from both teams who have lived in each other’s pockets for November international windows in the past – albeit Tadhg Beirne and Craig Casey were the only ones from the southern province named in yesterday’s squad – there have been questions marks over whether the Leinster/Munster rivalry is as fierce as it once was.
Yet in spite of the respect they have for their arch rivals, Ringrose views this Saturday’s fixture as one Leinster are desperate to win and the same goes for their opponents.
“With Munster and all the provinces, it’s one you want to win and you know that they’re thinking the exact same thing. I heard someone describe it like a sibling rivalry that you want to win bad. Almost more so than if you were playing someone else,” Ringrose added.
“So I guess in some ways you have respect and love for the guys you’re playing against, but you want to win badly. Then there’s obviously the history of everything that we appreciate. That plays a part in it as well.
“You’re always thinking of supporters, people who are giving up their time and spending money to buy tickets to watch. You want to give them a performance that they can be proud of and get behind and that’s not necessarily about the outcome or the result.”
'One guy I feel grateful to play with' - Ringrose on playing alongside Henshaw for 10 years
IT IS A little over 10 years since the pair first played together in the same starting line-up, but Garry Ringrose continues to “feel grateful” that he gets to feature alongside Robbie Henshaw for both province and country.
Just a few months on from facing each other as rival number 13s when Connacht defeated their interprovincial rivals to secure a historic Pro12 title at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, Ringrose and Henshaw (making his competitive debut for the Blues) formed a centre partnership when Leinster faced Munster in the same competition at the Aviva Stadium on 8 October 2016.
Although there is strong competition within the current squad, there is every chance this duo will once again be selected at midfield for the latest clash between the same two teams at Irish Rugby HQ in the United Rugby Championship this Saturday.
Ringrose and the Westmeath native have also enjoyed some good days as Ireland colleagues and could do so again very soon after they were both named in Andy Farrell’s senior squad for the upcoming Nations Championship Northern Hemisphere Series on Wednesday.
Appreciation
“Robbie’s brilliant. The amount of work he gets through and the fact that he was in South Africa [for Leinster’s early round URC tussles with the Lions and the Sharks] and was able to play a bit of six, and in the centre, shows his ability in terms of ball carrying and the physical side of things,” Ringrose remarked at a Leinster media briefing earlier this week.
“Then getting the chance to play alongside him from a footballing perspective and putting guys into space and through holes. He’s someone I have learned a load off and enjoy competing with and competing against as well. Because he can play 12 and 13. So he’s definitely one guy that I feel grateful to play with.”
While the likes of Charlie Tector and Hugh Cooney have featured there on a number of occasions – as well as versatile figures such as Jimmy O’Brien and Harry Byrne – the main alternative to either Ringrose or Henshaw at centre in the present Leinster set-up is expected to be Jamie Osborne.
Despite being used as a starting full-back by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell in 12 international tests – including twice on a summer tour of South Africa in 2024 – Osborne has donned either the number 12 or 13 jersey a grand total of 50 times in the blue of Leinster.
This suggests Ringrose is more likely to be a direct partner of Osborne (also included in Farrell’s 36-man squad for the November internationals) at provincial rather than test level soon, but he views the Kildare man as a valuable asset regardless of where he plays.
“Similar to Robbie, he would have a lot of similar traits to what I just said. One thing that I was always impressed by when he first came in the building was, he played at 12, played at 13, played on the wing.
“Then over in South Africa with Ireland to deliver how he did at 15 when Hugo was with the sevens. For Jamie to step up and play 15 and to deliver under the pressure that he did for those two games, I admired him to that point. He’s someone that ticks a whole lot of boxes.”
Derby
Considering there are key figures from both teams who have lived in each other’s pockets for November international windows in the past – albeit Tadhg Beirne and Craig Casey were the only ones from the southern province named in yesterday’s squad – there have been questions marks over whether the Leinster/Munster rivalry is as fierce as it once was.
Yet in spite of the respect they have for their arch rivals, Ringrose views this Saturday’s fixture as one Leinster are desperate to win and the same goes for their opponents.
“With Munster and all the provinces, it’s one you want to win and you know that they’re thinking the exact same thing. I heard someone describe it like a sibling rivalry that you want to win bad. Almost more so than if you were playing someone else,” Ringrose added.
“So I guess in some ways you have respect and love for the guys you’re playing against, but you want to win badly. Then there’s obviously the history of everything that we appreciate. That plays a part in it as well.
“You’re always thinking of supporters, people who are giving up their time and spending money to buy tickets to watch. You want to give them a performance that they can be proud of and get behind and that’s not necessarily about the outcome or the result.”
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Garry Ringrose Ireland Leinster October robbie henshaw teammates