BI LIons 2021 Squad Ian Henderson

[{"selector":"#anim-087e6cc9-1393-4875-b5f3-00e2fe278fff [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(51.05113637307619%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] LIONS 2021 Iain Henderson How It Started! Ross Barnett May, 6 2021

[{"selector":"#anim-c140c8c9-d7c4-4367-8eda-e51df1d9dc7a [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(30.695451893488247%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] HOW IT STARTED Our first coverage of William Iain Henderson was in the 2010 Ulster Schools Cup Final with Henderson No. 8 in a BRA side that featured Stuart Olding, Conor Spence, and David Cartmill. BRA lost 10 - 7 to a magnificent Ballymena Academy in the Ravenhill schools showpiece.

[{"selector":"#anim-8581ad1c-e0f1-4a86-85ef-341eb6e5a2a2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(27.149588196316888%, 0, 0) translate(-12.962962962962965%, -0.09352778023326032%) scale(0.7407407407407407)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] GETTING NOTICED However it wasn't until Friday 30th May 2010 that we started to take notice of the big rangy player for the Big Cats as they powered to a 31 - 26 win against Surrey Colts in the Carrick 7s Kukri U18 Cup, beating a mighty Larne RFC U18 side on the way.

[{"selector":"#anim-6141b7e9-ac2a-471b-b75a-2b55809e83b8 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(28.013392725307153%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] HUGE ENGINE The next day he was back, alongside his brother Richard, to lead the charge for Academy RFC as they picked up the Guinness Holmes Platter in the Carrick 7's after beating Justin Fitzpatrick's Tyrone Marauders in the final. Henderson, of course, grabbing a vital try in the final.

[{"selector":"#anim-6154b2bd-b397-43d7-a0af-c6bb56208c64 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(8.937499748479215%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] FOUR TO FOLLOW Henderson's feats quickly marked him out as one of our Four to Follow as we reviewed Ulster's up and coming stars Craig Gilroy, Iain Henderson, Paddy Jackson and David McGuigan as four players who should be worth watching at the “New Lansdowne Road” opener.

[{"selector":"#anim-00ba722e-c299-4b35-993c-76f8997472d0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(35.08974944649885%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] ULSTER ACADEMY A place in Ulster Academy quickly followed and Henderson made his first Academy U20 Interprovincial appearance, against Leinster U20 in September 2010. Unfortunately Leinster edged that one 15 - 18 at Ravenhill.

[{"selector":"#anim-ef382a9e-9051-4e43-9ffb-f93617e8daa5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(47.38372091626213%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] IRELAND U20 Henderson made his first appearance for Ireland U20 against Italy in an international friendly match on 4th November at Donnybrook, Dublin. He went on to pick up 20 caps and 4 tries for Ireland U20's in his two year stint in the age grade internationals. 2011 - 12 is their most successful season to date with an 80% win record.

[{"selector":"#anim-949143a4-dcb6-49f7-867f-f6eea6dbdd16 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(33.245849508321456%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] QUB RUGBY As a club player he joined his Four To Follow team mate, Dave McGuigan, in an exciting Queen's University side that were pushing for promotion in AIL Division 2. We caught up with Henderson and McGuigan to see how they were getting on in senior rugby.

[{"selector":"#anim-fd3a0a93-4002-4a06-bbe1-54354d6db80e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(37.019230690463964%, 0, 0) translate(25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] ULSTER RUGBY Henderson bounced around a couple of extended squads before making his Ulster Rugby debut against Connacht in April 2012. He first appeared in the starting line up a month later when he started against Munster in the PRO12

[{"selector":"#anim-ae1e0412-b868-4c74-bfbe-2fe81c037c52 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(37.80079032372565%, 0, 0) translate(-9.016393442622949%, 1.7838849682656726%) scale(0.819672131147541)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] APPEARANCES To date, Henderson has made 120 appearances for Ulster Rugby, scoring 12 tries. He has also turned out 63 times for Ireland, scoring 5 tries, to add to his 20 appearances, and 4 tries, for Ireland U20.

[{"selector":"#anim-d828278c-9045-450f-8b6b-c08e05946cef [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(34.50413213737663%, 0, 0) translate(-8.677685950413222%, 2.014463131457956%) scale(0.8264462809917356)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.14,.34,.47,.9)","fill":"forwards"}] HOW IT'S GOING Iain Henderson has been selected for his 2nd British and Irish Lions Tour. Despite the Ulsterman remaining uncapped in the 2017 Lions Tour to New Zealand the Ulster and Ireland stalwart is expected to be a key player in the 2021 Lions Tour to South Africa.

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