Henderson primed for second quarter-final of the season

As the clock ticks down to Ulster’s Guinness PRO14 date with destiny this Saturday, second row Iain Henderson is visualising the clash very much as a companion piece to the recent Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against Leinster. And while that game ended in disappointment with the narrowest of defeats, Henderson believes the entire experience at the Aviva Stadium can only stand Ulster in good stead when they run out at Kingspan Stadium against Connacht. Tickets are available at UlsterRugby.com/BuyTickets. “The last play-off didn’t go the way we wanted,” he admits. “This one is a second bite at the apple for us, if you like, and another opportunity to progress in play-off rugby. As a relatively inexperienced group, we haven’t done that to a huge extent before. “The guys, as a whole group, enjoyed the last experience both on and off the field, including the build-up to it. Now this is another chance for us to produce the goods at a quarter-final level in another inter-pro.” The 27-year-old is under no illusion, however, about the threat that Andy Friend’s side – third-placed finishers in Conference A with a total points haul of 61, only two fewer than Ulster – will bring to Belfast. “We were talking earlier in the year about how Connacht hadn’t won up here in 50 years and then they came up and beat us here,” he warns, alluding to his side’s only home defeat in the 2018/19 campaign – a 15-22 reversal back in October. “So they’re definitely having another resurgence. They’re playing good rugby and they’re an opposition who pose massive threats. It’s definitely going to be a difficult evening for us and we’re going to have to think long and hard about how we’re going to sort them out.” Indeed, the western province have bettered their northern rivals in terms of tries scored (60 to 58) and bonus points earned (13 to 7), and have amassed a far superior points difference – 81 to 17. Crucially however, Connacht suffered nine defeats throughout the season compared to Ulster’s six, and Henderson maintains Ulster will have two further aces up their sleeves come Saturday evening. “The work ethic in this group is incredible, it’s been a real driving factor this year,” he explains. “The younger lads who have stepped in and the new faces have really freshened the place up, and have revitalised the learning environment and the desire as a squad to get better. “As long as that stays, we will continue to build on previous performances. Obviously we’ve had a few setbacks like the Glasgow game [a 30-7 defeat], but following that I felt we bounced back well and leading on to Connacht we’ve been able to build on those performances. “Plus,” he adds, “having a full house of loud, vocal supporters behind us will help up the atmosphere. “Players from other teams have told me how much the atmosphere at Kingspan affects them when they play here and in turn that’s massively beneficial for us. We play better when it’s a full house with the roof raised as high as it will go.” Henderson has featured in only 13 of Ulster’s 28 competitive matches this term, enduring a run of bad luck with injury, including two separate hand complaints and knee ligament damage. Notable this campaign, however, has been the speed with which he has returned to match fitness, and the standard of his rugby despite the stop-start nature of his season, with his Man of the Match performance in the season-defining 29-7 win at Edinburgh a particular highlight. The lock insists this is no coincidence. “I try to stay as closely involved with the squad as possible when I’m injured,” he says. “I don’t like to drift too far, so when I’m injured I do try to get to a lot of the meetings. It means you don’t feel too isolated with your injury and makes it very easy to integrate straight back in. A mixture of concentration, and probably a bit of pressure to perform coming back from injury, have supplied those performances. “Plus, we’re looked after very well here by the medical department, whether it be massage, with the doctor or the physio, or even in rehab. All my joints are feeling well currently and will hopefully continue to do so.” As the interview draws to an end Henderson, who has recently shared captaincy duties with Rory Best, Alan O’Connor, Rob Herring and Darren Cave, is asked to reflect on his role as a leader. As ever, his answer focuses on the collective rather than the individual. “It’s always nice to get the opportunity to captain to team, but they’re an extremely easy bunch of lads to lead,” he says. “There are leaders in each individual aspect studded throughout the spine of the team, if you like, so I think when I’m captain my job is made easy by everyone else. “In all the good teams I’ve been in, the captain’s been strong, but he’s also put a lot of faith in the people around him. If, as a player, you have the understanding that your captain trusts you, it brings the best out in you too.”