Robbie Henshaw says that the unfinished business of the 2015 World Cup in England and Wales has not yet been mentioned as Ireland gear up for the tournament in Japan.
Henshaw partnered Keith Earls in the centre on that forgettable day in October 2015 when they bowed out of the World Cup to Argentina when they went down 40-23 in the quarter-final in Cardiff.
But Henshaw, who won the first of his 37 caps in the summer of 2013 in the USA, said that little or nothing has been mentioned about how their World Cup dream fizzled out four years ago.
“Not necessarily. We’ve just come and we’ve enjoyed our training session. We started with all our strength work and our speed work and just building those blocks, building those foundations.
“I think from the players that have been to World Cups - there’s players going into their third World Cup, players going into their second - I think from any player’s perspective it’s a competition like no other in rugby.
“I think if you’re lucky enough to experience it, it’s a great feeling being involved.
“Any players that’s been there will always remember their last ones and how enjoyable they were so that’s probably an individual focus from my perspective but I’d imagine from other players’ perspectives.”
The Irish squad has changed a lot since then — the starting 15 that day in Cardiff included the likes of Tommy Bowe, Ian Madigan, Mike Ross, Chris Henry and Jamie Heaslip, with Richardt Strauss, Nathan White, Donnacha Ryan, Eoin Reddan, Paddy Jackson and Luke Fitzgerald among the replacements —so Henshaw said it is all about this current group setting their own targets.
He was back in Galway last week for a camp with Ireland, back in the Sportsground where he made the breakthrough for Connacht in 2012, and having turned 26 last month he is better able to deal with pre-season
preparations.
“You learn as you go through your years as a pro you can’t just take your three and a half weeks off, and do nothing. Maybe you can take the first four or five days off completely.
“But then you need to gradually start doing stuff to be prepared for what is to come.”
He’s excited about heading to Japan for the first time. He was on Lions duty two years ago when Ireland toured Japan, while the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Conor Murray and Rhys Ruddock were there with the Irish U-20 side a decade ago.
“I have never been there before, but from speaking to the boys that toured there two years ago they said it was an incredible country.
“They really enjoyed the culture. It was really different to what they experienced on tour before.
“The people were unbelievably welcoming and the food was great. It seems unbelievable the only challenge is probably finding a bed big enough for Devin Toner!
“The humidity was a talking point for everyone. But apart from that, the little bit of moving around will be different. We have to catch a few trains instead of a flight here or there. It definitely will be different.
“But from speaking to the guys that have been there, and the people, management that have been over and back, everything seems really good.”
Henshaw likes the idea of moving the Irish camp around the country in preparation for Japan and this week they have set up in Limerick.
There will be a down week to follow and then a fortnight at the National Sports Complex in the build-up to the first of the warm-up games against Italy on August 10.
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