Iain Henderson

Iain Henderson, born on February 21, 1992, in Craigavon, Northern Ireland, distinguished himself during his school years at Belfast Royal Academy. He was a key member of the school’s 1st XV, reaching the Ulster Schools’ Cup final in 2010. His exceptional talent in the back five of the scrum quickly became evident as he navigated the Ulster development scheme. Henderson earned selection for Ireland’s U19 and U20 teams as a teenager, showcasing his skill in marauding runs, tackling, and ball-carrying. His professional career began with his senior Ulster debut in April 2012, followed by his first professional contract in October of the same year. Henderson made his full international debut for Ireland against South Africa in November 2012, marking a rapid ascent in his career.

Throughout his career, Henderson has achieved numerous milestones. He was a vital part of Ireland’s 2019 World Cup squad in Japan and contributed to the 2023 Guinness Six Nations Grand Slam success. He also participated in the Ireland team that reached the Quarter-finals of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He gained over 80 caps for his country and was selected for two British & Irish Lions tours, to New Zealand in 2017 and South Africa in 2021. In 2019, he was named Ulster’s captain, succeeding Rory Best. Henderson signed a new two-year contract extension with Ulster Rugby in 2024, reaffirming his commitment to the provincial team. He returned from injury in 2016 to rejoin the Irish touring squad in South Africa that summer. Henderson was named Young Player of the Year at the 2013 Ulster Rugby Awards and Personality of the Year in the 2021 Awards. He made his 100th appearance for Ulster against Leicester Tigers in the European Rugby Champions Cup in January 2019. He captained Ireland for the first time in February 2021 and also captained Ireland in a warm-up game against Italy in August 2023.