Injuries earlier in the season forced Elwood's hand and Henshaw was the main benefactor, named on the bench for their RaboDirect PRO12 opener against Cardiff Blues before playing the full 80 minutes against Glasgow and Leinster, first at centre before moving to full-back.
Henshaw is now in line to cap his fairytale season with a run out in Europe with the Heineken Cup getting going in just over a week, and Elwood admits that he would have no qualms about sending the teenager into battle.
"Robbie Henshaw will play for Ireland, that is what I see in him," Elwood told the Irish Independent.
"He has great ability, he is a good talent who can play at 13 or 15.
"I am a firm believer that if you are good enough you are old enough and Robbie is good enough."
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