When you sit down to analyse Iain Henderson’s Ulster career over that last 12 years, words that automatically spring to mind include warrior, courageous, leader and inspiration.
But after addressing the local media earlier this week to discuss Ulster’s opening URC fixture against current champions, the Glasgow Warriors, it was a different word that kept raising its head.
Frustration.
Henderson has achieved a lot in the game, not just with Ulster but with Ireland and the British & Irish Lions as well. But a series of injuries has caused ‘Hendy’ to miss a large chunk of games over the years.
After returning from the World Cup in peak form, another injury, this time to a toe, Henderson was forced to watch from the sidelines as Ulster’s campaign ended with a URC quarter-final defeat to Munster.
“It happened in the fallow week of the 6-Nations,” said Henderson.
“I played against the Ospreys and I did ligaments in my toe. Then I was playing on with it and that made it progressively worse. (But) it got to the point that a repair was needed.
“Which was frustrating because I felt like I was on a good run and I was fit and healthy, and that was that.”
But after an extended period of rest, Henderson is feeling fresh and raring to go ahead of the season opener.
He’s also rejuvenated by a much more youthful squad that he may have been previously part of, but he insists that despite there being some way to go in the rebuilding process, the mood in the camp is a positive one.
“I think we’re in a good spot. We’re definitely not the finished article yet. We have the makings of what could be a phenomenal group of players.
“We are a tight knit bunch but I think there is a lot of work for us to still do together and I know we have a load of guys in there who are working hard at that and want to make it better.
“We are ensuring we get the buy in from everyone and I think that’s kind of what you need. You want guys doing stuff together to build a culture.
“You don’t want to build it artificially. You want it to grow and make sure it’s nurtured by the group.”
Henderson is under no illusion of the size of the task that Ulster face tonight but insists that if they stick to the gameplan they’ve been working on, then they’ll not be far off the mark.
“We’ve seen the way Glasgow played last season. Big abrasive pack, brilliant set-piece that bring challenges there. They’ll try to work their way up the pitch with penalties.
“Scrum penalties, they’ll try and go looking for those. So, I think our defence is going to be massive for us.
“But that’s Glasgow, that’s them in a nutshell, but we want to be focusing on ourselves and our style of attack and what Richie (Murphy) wants to bring in.”
