Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Cian Healy faces race to prove fitness ahead of All Blacks match

By PA
Cian Healy of Ireland leaves the field injured during the match between the Maori All Blacks and Ireland at FMG Stadium on June 29, 2022 in Hamilton, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Andy Farrell said Cian Healy’s injury was “more of a scare than anything else” after the prop was a surprise inclusion in Ireland’s squad for Saturday’s series opener against New Zealand.

ADVERTISEMENT

Healy’s future participation in the three-Test tour appeared in serious doubt after he twisted awkwardly during Wednesday’s warm-up defeat to the Maori All Blacks and left the pitch on a medical cart.

But the 34-year-old has recovered sufficiently to be selected among the replacements for this weekend’s clash with the All Blacks in Auckland.

Video Spacer

Andy Farrell and Bundee Aki on the loss to Maori All Blacks | Ireland post-match press conference

Video Spacer

Andy Farrell and Bundee Aki on the loss to Maori All Blacks | Ireland post-match press conference

Head coach Farrell, whose update on centre James Hume was less positive, will give his most-capped player time to prove his fitness.

“I think he had a bit more of a scare than anything else,” Farrell said of Healy. “He recovered pretty quickly in the changing room after the game.

“He’s still a bit sore this morning but he’s obviously going through a few protocols now with the rehab but we’re going to give him until tomorrow, he’s made such improvement. We’re optimistic about that.”

Despite the reassuring news regarding Healy, the prognosis for in-form centre James Hume – who picked up a groin issue in midweek – was far less positive as he awaits scan results.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Obviously we’re only a few hours after the game so people do tend to wake up pretty sore but it’s not looking great for him,” Farrell said of Hume.

After an experimental line-up lost 32-17 to the Maoris, Farrell has unsurprisingly brought back his senior players for the Test opener at a sold-out Eden Park.

Fly-half Johnny Sexton will captain the side, while right wing Keith Earls is the only player to retain a starting place from the reverse in Hamilton.

Andrew Porter, hooker Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong will pack down in the front row, ahead of locks Tadhg Beirne and James Ryan, with Peter O’Mahony and Josh Van Der Flier either side of Caelan Doris in the back row.

ADVERTISEMENT

Sexton will be partnered by New Zealand-born Jamison Gibson-Park in the half-back positions, while another native Kiwi, James Lowe, will be on the left wing.

Midfield duo Robbie Henshaw and Garry Ringrose, plus full-back Hugo Keenan, complete an experienced starting XV.

Ireland have never won away to New Zealand and Farrell is braced for a backlash after a stunning 29-20 autumn victory over the three-time world champions in Dublin.

“We know what’s coming and what’s going to be good enough and what’s not going to be good enough,” he said.

“We expect them to be at their best. We obviously have a say in that, how we attack the game ourselves.

“I know they’ve one or two injuries and so have we but, at the same time, they could pick four teams in New Zealand and they would be unbelievably hard to compete against.

“We’re under no illusions of what we’re up against. Any type of performance that we’ve had before where we’ve managed to get over the line, that won’t do this weekend, I’m sure about that.”

Healy, who has won 116 Test caps, will be joined on the bench by Dave Heffernan, Finlay Bealham, Kieran Treadwell, Jack Conan, Conor Murray, Joey Carbery and Bundee Aki.

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 1 hour ago
Scott Robertson explains the new halves pairing for the All Blacks ahead of France

More indecision and excuses from Razor.


You've given a spot at 6 to Finau whom you haven't even had the courage to use off the bench in the last two games. Now the young enforcer is going into a big much with no rugby, we should expect a similar result to how Aumua struggled to impact a game after he'd hardly been given any chances of the bench either.


Weve now dropped a back three player who also wasn't even given any game time off the bench for someone coming in cold when they really need to have been playing constantly to perform at their best. There are just so many better pictures that should have been present rather than this mickey mouse selection.


I really hope Finau can overcome this, it won't be the first time he's had to. How is the bench even made up? Could you not just have included these changes in the article as well? I actually like BB coming back in, it highlights how courageous he is after sitting out through another concussion that could just as easily sent him back into months of symptoms again.


Dmac was also off his game last week, as was Ratima, with the poor platform Razor and his team have been setting the players up with. He needs to freedom to clear his mind from the clutter that saw him make so many bad decisions last week. It will still probably be a net loss for the team performance not having him on from the start but it should be better for them in the long run if he's allowed to just come on late and play his game trying to claw things back for the team.


With Roigard starting that might prove an outlet for the team to actually get on top first however. Along with Ardie busting a gut in his new role and emptying the tank by halftime, and being replaced by another new star, might mean that Dmac is just icing on the cake at the end.

13 Go to comments
F
Flankly 1 hour ago
Jake White: If I was England coach, I’d have been livid

I am not an England fan, but still very disappointed at what Borthwick is serving up. Regardless of winning or losing, they should be executing the basics at a world class level. That was the reason they replaced Eddie with Steve. After two years England has not built the solid foundations that the RFU were presumably after. Its hard to see it as anything other than a coaching problem.


Having said that I really hope that Rassie has got his team fired up for the game. The Boks at maximum intensity and with no crises (eg red cards) would be expected to win this game. But it does not take much reduction in pressure for Bok teams to lose. The Boks lose when complacency sets in.


On Felix Jones, my guess is that they can't agree on a non-compete so they kept him on payroll for the duration of the Nov tests. The risk was that he would be hired by Rassie or Razor prior to the tests.


As relates to law tweaking, it feels like WR are more comfortable discussing changes in laws than insisting on implementation. For my money the biggest thing they could do is to be strict and consistent in officiating ruck behavior. In every game we see flopping, lazy lying, clearing of unbound players, making plays while off your feet, delays in placing the ball, side entry, offside line infringements, and similar nonsense. It's really really bad, and the WR attitude seems to be that we should turn a blind eye in pursuit of "flowing rugby". In truth it's just boring, because it randomizes the outcome.

11 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING New scrumhalf rule among 4 global Law trials as others shot down New scrumhalf rule among 4 global Law trials as others shot down
Search