Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw hopes to use his experience from the 2017 Lions tour to New Zealand to make a lasting impression in South Africa.

Henshaw was outstanding in the build up to the previous series but failed to make the Tests, with Owen Farrell, Ben Te’o and Jonathan Davies the individuals preferred.

The 27-year-old is playing even better this time around and is the favourite to take one of the two midfield spots for the games against the Springboks.

Form in the warm-up contests will no doubt be the biggest factor in who plays the main matches and Henshaw insists that he is better prepared in 2021.

Not knowing how things worked

“I suppose I was quite a young player back in New Zealand. I went into it not knowing how things worked,” he told reporters.

“From being there and having that experience, obviously it went well for me, I played a lot of games but I ended up getting injured and didn’t really get to put my name in for those last two Tests in New Zealand.

“So, I suppose it was a good learning about how things work, but this will be different to New Zealand, obviously with the current circumstances. But it’s great to have that experience there that I know how to approach it.”

Henshaw has also grown as a leader, with the centre a defensive linchpin at both Leinster and Ireland, and the 27-year-old is looking to stamp his personality on the squad.

He said: “I was quite a shy person going into the last (Lions) camp, very quiet, so maybe (I would like to) be more vocal around the team, but being myself, I suppose.

“There is a great group of lads there that I’ve played with and against… So learning just to be yourself more so, and not go into your shell is a big thing, and to express yourself on the pitch and off the pitch.”

With the Lions tour on the horizon and Leinster having nothing to play for, it would be easy for Henshaw to think ahead to the series, but he is not going to alter his full-throttle approach.

“I have always remembered that, even from my soccer days. If you don’t complete a tackle or pull out half-hearted, that’s when you get injured,” he said.

“So I kind of brought that into sport in general and professional sport. You have to be all in or else that’s where you will suffer in the end.

“Mentality wise, I’d prefer to be playing, and stay sharp. You’d rather be playing just to keep sharp, keep fit, because fitness wise it’s hard to mimic and replicate match minutes in training, it’s pretty tough to do.”

Henshaw’s target is unsurprisingly to make the Tests, but the centre is also wary that he has to get up to speed quickly.

He added: “I think for everyone in the squad it’s their primary goal (playing the Tests), but again it’s going to be a huge challenge for everyone because it’s new systems, new team, new structures, new plays.

“So I think that’s probably the tough thing, we’re comfortable in our own environments but we’re going into a new environment where we have to learn a new style of play but have to get up to speed fairly rapidly.

“That’s a challenge, but definitely that’s a goal, to try and put your hand up for those Test games.”