Fresh ink: Wallaby No.999’s hard road to Test debut
Murray Wenzel |
Isaac Henry will run the prospect of fresh ink past his wife but is otherwise assured he can make a permanent Wallabies mark after a hard-earned debut in Osaka.
Named on the bench, the Queensland Reds centre was made to wait more than 70 minutes before being thrust into the action and then defending furiously in a 35-32 Saturday night defeat of Japan.
The 27-year-old became Wallaby No.999 in the process, the honour coming despite Henry enduring four major surgeries in as many years.
“It’s a great number, might have to talk to my wife about getting it tattooed,” said Henry, who has his surname inked on his forearm.
A broken foot, hamstring tear and two separate knee ligament and tendon ruptures have been his biggest setbacks.
Incredibly, his six games for the Reds this season are more than he’s managed in any campaign since his 2021 Super Rugby debut.
“It’s been a journey … and there was a brief period where I was like ‘maybe I won’t get on, maybe next week’,” he said of his nervous sideline wait.
Henry’s patella tendon rupture in 2024 was a gruesome injury that left him sucking on the green whistle as he left the ground.
“I said (to myself), ‘Right, I’m going to be back better than I was before’,” he said of that setback.
“It’s nice to be here … you look back at those days and think ‘how good’.
“Deep down I’m stubborn; I wasn’t going to quit, I wanted it too much, ever since I was a kid. And I set my mind to it.”
Henry can kick off the tee and out of the hand and boasts a strong carry, good hands and a sharp football brain, according to coach Les Kiss.
Hunter Paisami impressed at No.12, while outside centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii set up one try but didn’t have the impact he threatened to.
The debutant is confident he can thrive if given more opportunities in Townsville’s Japan rematch on Saturday.
“There were points along the way that I didn’t think I’d get it done, but now I’ve got a taste and I’m hungry for it,” Henry said.
“I loved it and now I’ve sort of experienced that I just want more. Loved the next level, loved testing myself.”
AAP