URC Rd 2: Leinster v Dragons, Aviva Stadium, Friday, Aviva Stadium, 7.35 – Live on TG4 and Premier Sports
Cian Healy will make his 281st Leinster appearance on Friday night against the Dragons at the Aviva Stadium and in doing so become the province’s most capped player of all time, breaking the tie that he shared with Devin Toner.
When the 36-year-old, once known as ‘DJ Church’, made his Leinster debut against the Border Reivers in May 2007, Avril Lavigne’s ‘Girlfriend’ was the number one single in Ireland, Britain and the USA and Leo Cullen was about to return to Leinster in time for the new season after a two-year stint with the Leicester Tigers.
Some 17 years and change later, Cullen is Leinster’s head coach, and Healy shows no sign of stopping. Who better to talk about the prop than his former team-mate, who first made the point that Healy’s record will take some catching. Scrumhalf Luke McGrath (213) is closest in the current squad.
Cullen said: “How many international caps on top of that again?” The answer is 131 and counting. He continued: “It’s phenomenal really, well over 400 games. He’s a remarkable individual on so many fronts.
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“When you talk about players, in rugby, because it’s a game for all shapes and sizes, being able to do your core job first. You think of the job of a prop, the scrum part, being a frontrow for that length of time and the job he’s done there. Cian’s an amazing individual and unique as a character. Sometimes when players hit these milestones you start thinking of the end. [He’s] phenomenal.”
What were Cullen’s first impressions of the teenage Healy? “He was a joy to play with. I scrummed behind Cian more often than not. You used to marvel at some of the things he would be able to do. There’s the basics of set-piece play for a frontrow, but he was able to do some freakish things at the start.
“We were looking back at some of his highlights this week; he scored a try where he does someone up the sideline with a sidestep and scores in the corner. The power he shows with some of his ball-carrying. He was so devastating as a momentum-gainer for a team. It’s an amazing milestone that he’s achieved, and hopefully he goes well in the game, that’s the important bit.”
Healy starts at loosehead prop, one of seven changes and a positional switch to the side that won 35-33 in Edinburgh last weekend. Liam Turner replaces Garry Ringrose, Jordan Larmour switches wings to accommodate the return of Jimmy O’Brien, while Ross Byrne and Luke McGrath are promoted from the bench to starting halfbacks.
Up front, Healy and Michael Milne swap roles from last week, Brian Deeney replaces South Africa bound Conor O’Tighearnaigh as James Ryan’s partner in the secondrow, while Will Connors is in for Scott Penny at openside flanker.
Leo Barron, Irish senior internationals Joe McCarthy and Josh van der Flier, Fintan Gunne, Harry Byrne and Aitzol King will see their first competitive action of the season for Leinster as they are named among the replacements.
Hooker Gus McCarthy, who backs up from last week as John McKee suffered an injury, will link up with the Emerging Ireland squad after the match before flying to South Africa. Charlie Tector, a try scorer in an outstanding individual performance against Edinburgh at inside centre, will do likewise, having been called in by Simon Easterby following an injury to team-mate Tommy O’Brien.
The Dragons have made several changes, with Chris Coleman, George Nott and Steff Hughes recalled to a side that enjoyed a fine win over the Ospreys at Rodney Parade on the opening day of the season.
LEINSTER: J Osborne; J Larmour, L Turner, C Tector, J O’Brien; R Byrne, L McGrath; C Healy, G McCarthy, T Clarkson; B Deeny, J Ryan; M Deegan, W Connors, J Conan (capt).
Replacements: L Barron, M Milne, R Slimani, J McCarthy, J van der Flier, F Gunne, H Byrne, A King.
DRAGONS: A O’Brien; R Dyer, H Wilson, S Hughes, J Rosser; L Evans, D Blacker; R Martinez, B Coghlan, C Coleman; B Carter (capt), G Nott; R Woodman, H Keddie, S Lewis-Hughes.
Replacements: O Burrows, R Jones, L Yendle, M Screech, G Young, R Williams, J Westwood, E Rosser.
Referee: Mike Adamson (Scotland).
