Iain Henderson: It’s a privilege and an honour to be selected a second time for the Lions

Ulster’s captain, Iain Henderson spoke to the media to give his reaction to being named on the British & Irish Lions squad for the 2021 Tour to South Africa.

Congratulations Iain, can you tell us your initial reaction to your selection and what you were doing when your name was called out?

I am absolutely delighted. Obviously, it has been playing on my mind for a while now, but delighted and grateful for the opportunity to go on Tour again. I’m looking forward to what will be a very different but equally enjoyable Tour.

It was being watched on lots of phones on the bus; I was sitting at the back. We were split into two buses now everyone has their own set of seats, socially-distant. Andy Warwick was in the seat in front of me and had it on his phone; I was peering over and he held it up for me. Every time a name was called that was less expected, there’d be a bit of chatter and then people would miss hearing the next name. It was exciting and the tension was building, then there was a bit of a cheer just when my name was read out!

This will be your second Tour – how have you changed in that time?

I suppose like everyone else as you get older, you probably mature a bit and the more you do things, generally speaking, you become more comfortable with them and arguably, the better you become. I will hopefully have a few games under my belt at the end of this season so I can take a bit of form with me into the Tour and that would be ideal.

From the last Tour, we started relatively slowly; hopefully this year, we can hit the ground running. There is an exciting Test against Japan, and other fixtures lined up towards the start of the Tour, so everyone will be vying for a Test position. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the guys and getting to know what Warren Gatland and other members of the coaching staff are looking for this team to do and the vision for the team.

There will be a lot of competition for a Test-starting place in the second row…

Everyone is massively excited to be going on the Tour first and foremost. We still haven’t had the chance to get together as a squad and we know very little about the Tour. Selection in the games leading up to the Test is massive as you try to look at the combinations, start to play different teams at different times of the week, so you start to get an idea of where the land lies there.

Going out to be a Test-starter would be ideal, but I am just thankful to be on the Tour to begin with, looking at Test positions is probably not on my radar. I want to be in the best possible shape for the first time we meet up – be that getting game time under my belt or looking after myself off the pitch in order that when we do hit the ground running – I will be able to put myself in the best possible position for getting a place later on in the Tour.

How did your family react to the news?

My wife was delighted – I was on the phone with her first and she definitely sounded a lot more nervous and shaken than I felt! I was on the phone with my brother and my parents as well; it was great, I had a lot of well-wishing texts coming in which I was delighted to get.

Obviously, I’m really proud to be re-selected. My daughter is three now, she knows I play rugby, but I don’t think she has any understanding of what this means. In years to come [my children] will have bit more understanding.

How does it feel to join the likes of Willie John McBride, Jeremy Davidson, Rory Best and Tommy Bowe as a multiple Tourist?

I’m always massively proud to say I play rugby for Ulster, Ireland and Lions aside. I think the group of lads we have here, that’s something I think we take very seriously, playing for Ulster is a massive deal and I think that comes first and foremost. The pride for me and my family is massive. It’s a privilege and an honour to be selected for a second time.

There are a lot of things that go into the making of a professional rugby player, that’s not just for me as a Lion but at every level. There are a lot of people who do unseen things – my family, my wife, my parents, my brother, everyone at Ulster and every individual player has that extended rugby family. There’s a lot that goes into it. To give my family that wee bit of happiness and have them enjoy chats with their friends. My aunties and uncles have text me, all my mum’s friends have been on to her. It’s great. I think the aspect of two Lions tours is that you get a second shot at all that excitement and I’m really looking forward to it.

Does it mean more to you now?

Yeah, I definitely think that. The last time, I was young, I wasn’t married, I didn’t have any kids. Having kids is definitely different; they don’t have a clue what it means but some day they’ll know, and I’ll be proud and thankful to say they were a part of that journey.

The post Iain Henderson: It’s a privilege and an honour to be selected a second time for the Lions appeared first on Ulster Rugby.