Robbie Henshaw is to swap his Connacht and Ireland rugby shirts for a Westmeath GAA one this summer, but only if the team makes it through the first round of it’s Leinster Football Championship.
The star of Ireland’s RBS 6 Nations triumph played to Minor level within the county and has sought permission from Irish team management to train with the senior Westmeath team ahead of a possible quarter final against Wexford on Sunday June 14th.
“The players will be on a break between the end of the domestic campaign and the start of the summer series of friendlies, and Robbie has always wanted to be part of something that is very special to him,” a source close to the Irish team told Sport for Business.
He will train with the team and if he shows that the skills he has developed to world class standard on the rugby pitch can be transferred effectively to the round ball game he will be available for selection.
“We weren’t expecting to hear from Robbie this year with the World Cup,” said a Westmeath County Board spokesman, “but when the call came our management team and players were unanimous in making way for him to join the panel for a three week period.”
“If we lose to Louth there would be a ‘back door’ game but that would only take place after the window in which he will be with us.”
“The players will be on free time during that period and this would be no different to his playing any other sport,” said an IRFU source. “Some of the players go kitesurfing and one was involved two years ago in some cliff diving so playing 70 minutes of gaelic football should be fine.”
Members of the Leinster squad including Rob and Dave Kearney have said they would support him on the day but Gordan D’arcy, who is from Wexford has said that there is no way he could cheer against his county and that Henshaw should be ready to get some stick if they both make it to the World Cup squad.
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