BETWEEN FORM AND fitness, it has been a frustrating time of late for Cian Healy but the Leinster prop is determined to seize his opportunity tonight and lay down a marker ahead of the Six Nations.
The 29-year-old prop has fallen behind Jack McGrath in the pecking order at provincial level this season but will start Leinster’s final Champions Cup pool game against Castres later [Sky Sports 2, 7.45pm].
Healy came off the bench to score a try in the demolition of Montpellier last week and made a good impression during a second-half cameo at the RDS.
With competition intense and the Six Nations fast approaching, Healy knows he needs to perform well and remind everyone of his credentials as one of the best looseheads in the business.
“Delighted to start,” he said before the team’s departure to France.
“It’s a good battle we’re having myself and Jack and he’s playing so well. I’ve had to sit behind and do my best and train as hard as I can so to get the opportunity to start is big.
“I’m just trying to take every opportunity that’s been given. I think the Munster game a while back, I performed poorly on the discipline front, and that was itching away at me a bit.
“You can’t afford to do that when you’re given the opportunities. Apart from that, it’s been edging away in the right direction I think.”
Source: Donall Farmer/INPHO
Was it a result of trying too hard when the opportunity presented itself?
“I was fairly high strung going into that game, yeah,” he replies.
“Silly sort of penalties like that I think is trying to push a bit too far, and not really playing naturally. So I’ll try and do that (play naturally) and be as relaxed as possible.
Healy has scored two tries in his last two appearances and he’s certainly returning to return to something approaching top form at the most opportune time of the season.
As he sat in Leinster’s UCD headquarters yesterday, there was a steely determination about him. Actions, of course, speak louder than words but with Leo Cullen by his side, he knows tonight represents a big chance for him to make a statement.
And there’s no better place to prove yourself as a loosehead than in the south of France.
“Anywhere now we’re going we’re not going to have as difficult a task as we have on the paddock out the back here,” the Ireland international continued.
It’s not just at loosehead where competition is fierce and it is that strength in depth which has contributed to Leinster’s success this season.
Cullen is the man tasked with making those difficult selection calls, although Healy didn’t want him to go into too much detail about them when he was present at yesterday’s press conference.