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'What’s stopping me?' - Cian Healy has no desire to retire anytime soon

Leinster players, from left, Cian Healy, Josh van der Flier and Ross Molony after their side's victory in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final match between Leinster and Northampton Saints at Croke Park in Dublin. (Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

It says much about the longevity of Cian Healy’s career that his Leinster Rugby debut came against a team that no longer exists.

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That was way back in May 2007 when he came on as a replacement versus the now long-since defunct Border Reivers in the old Magners League – the distant precursor to the BKT URC.

To provide some historical context, his team-mates that day at Donnybrook included the likes of Reggie Corrigan, Malcolm O’Kelly, Bernard Jackman, Denis Hickie and Felipe Contepomi – players of a different era.

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But some 17 years on, Healy is still going strong and there’s no sign of him hanging up his boots any time soon, given he has just signed on for another season.

So what is it that’s keeping the 36-year-old Ireland prop going?

“It’s more a case of what’s not – what’s stopping me?” he replies.

“It’s just such a good environment to be in and an opportunity to do another year of what I love.

“It will be long enough after, when I’m not playing rugby, so I’m going to enjoy every bit of it that I can.

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“It’s just I love what I do and I love the people I do it with.

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“There have been a lot of life experiences and it feels like they are all ground into about five years. It doesn’t feel like that long ago I started out.

“I just love testing myself against different teams and having had the opportunity to do it so many times.”

What also drives Healy on is the quest for silverware, with Leinster aiming to secure the double of the BKT URC and Investec Champions Cup. That desire is all the greater with the province having gone two years without a trophy.

“There is business not yet attended to and opportunity,” says the Dublin-born loosehead.

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He has shared in a league and cup double once before, back in 2018, so what was the secret to that success?

“Luck comes in, planning comes in, lots of stuff comes in,” he replies. “It’s about staying focused and how you get yourself around the intention to win both competitions.”

With that in mind, attention is very much on Saturday’s BKT URC clash with Ulster Rugby in Belfast rather than on the Champions Cup final against Toulouse seven days later.

Ireland Healy <a href=
England warning” width=”1920″ height=”1080″ class=”size-full wp-image-278850″ /> (Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

“We will screw up our whole league campaign if we focus on next week,” said Healy. “We do well in the early part of the season day-by-day, week-by-week and there’s no reason to vary off that just because it’s the business end of the season.

“That’s the model that works and that’s how players are cultured from kids now. It’s week-by-week.

That’s the Leinster way and it’s a way that works and a way that keeps people focused on the task at hand.”

The meeting with sixth-placed Ulster provides second-placed Leinster with an opportunity to gain revenge for the 22-21 home defeat at the RDS on New Year’s Day.

“They exposed us in quite a few areas in that game,” admitted the Dublin-born Healy. “It’s up to us as forwards to front up in the tight trenches to release our backs and let them play.

“It’s a tough challenge. Ulster are going well. So it’s pretty full steam ahead in here.”

It’s certainly been some career for Healy. He has made 275 appearances for Leinster, while his tally of 129 caps for Ireland is surpassed only by Brian O’Driscoll and he keeps on adding to that total, having figured in four games during this season’s Six Nations title triumph.

Now the goal is to add to that with further trophies at provincial level over the coming weeks.

When he does finally call it a day, one wonders whether Healy will look to stay involved in rugby on the coaching front.

“It’s starting to appeal to me a bit,” he replies. “There have been a couple of times over the last while in Irish camp and with Leinster where I have been able to fix issues when it’s not necessarily me.

“Plus being in a bench role has allowed me to see more of what goes on and the problem solving of it. I have enjoyed that and it’s worked. So we will see. It’s not for now, like.”

Not for now indeed, with plenty of gas left in the tank and plenty to aim for.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 1 hour ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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