Iain Henderson facts for kids
Henderson representing Ulster during the Pro14
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| Full name | William Iain Henderson | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 21 February 1992 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Craigavon, Northern Ireland | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.99 m (6 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 119 kg (262 lb; 18 st 10 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Belfast Royal Academy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Queens University Belfast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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William Iain Henderson (born 21 February 1992) is a professional rugby union player from Northern Ireland. He plays as a lock for Ulster and the Ireland national team. He has also been chosen for two tours with the famous British & Irish Lions team. Since 2019, he has been the captain of Ulster. He also captained Ireland in 2021 and 2023.
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Early Life and Education
Iain Henderson was born in Craigavon, County Armagh. He went to Belfast Royal Academy for his schooling. While there, he played on the school's top rugby team. In 2010, his team reached the final of the Ulster Schools' Cup.
In July 2010, Iain was picked for a special rugby game. This game opened the new Aviva Stadium in Dublin. He had planned to study at a university in Scotland. However, he changed his mind when he got a spot in the Ulster Rugby Academy. He then decided to study at Queen's University Belfast instead.
Professional Rugby Career
Starting His Journey
Iain received a special award in December 2011. It was called the Jack Kyle Academy Bursary. This award came with £2,000 to help with his rugby training. He had missed the first half of the 2011–12 season. This was because he broke his leg while playing for the Ulster Ravens team.
He played his first game for the senior Ulster team in April 2012. By October 2012, he signed his first professional contract. This meant he was officially a professional rugby player.
Playing for Ireland
Iain also played for Ireland's younger teams. He played for the Under-19 team and the Under-20 team. This included playing in the 2012 U20 World Championships. He made his first appearance for the senior Ireland team in November 2012. This was in a game against South Africa in Dublin.
Achievements with Ulster
In 2013, Iain was named Young Player of the Year at the Ulster Rugby Awards. Later, in 2021, he won the Personality of the Year award. He was part of the Ulster team that reached the finals of major tournaments. These included the 2013 Pro12 Grand Final and the 2020 Pro14 Grand Final.
In January 2019, Iain played his 100th game for Ulster. This was against Leicester Tigers in the European Rugby Champions Cup. Before the 2019–20 season, he became Ulster's captain. He took over from the retiring Rory Best.
Success with Ireland and the Lions
With the Ireland team, Iain has won several important championships. He won the Six Nations Championship in 2014 and 2015. He was also part of the team that won the Grand Slam in 2018. The team also won the Triple Crown in 2022.
Iain has played in the Rugby World Cup twice. He played in the 2015 and 2019 tournaments. In February 2021, he captained Ireland for the very first time. He was also chosen to play for the British and Irish Lions. This is a special team made up of the best players from the UK and Ireland. He toured with them in 2017 (to New Zealand) and 2021 (to South Africa).
Iain's contract with the Irish Rugby Football Union was set to end after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Many people wondered if he would move to play rugby in another country. However, he signed a new contract in 2023. This means he will stay with Ulster and Ireland for two more seasons. He was part of Ireland's team for the 2023 Rugby World Cup. He captained the team in a warm-up game against Italy in August 2023.
Honours
- Ireland
- 5× Six Nations Championship: 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023, 2024
- 2× Grand Slam: 2018, 2023
- 3× Triple Crown: 2018, 2022, 2023
See also
In Spanish: Iain Henderson para niños
