'Unique' Healy set for place in Irish record books

When Brian O'Driscoll won his 133rd and final Ireland cap against France in the Six Nations finale of 2014, it was a record that figured to stand the test of time.

The legendary centre had made his Test debut as a 20-year-old in the summer of 1999, pulling on a green jersey before he had even represented the senior Leinster side and going on to enjoy a 15-year international career.

While Paul O'Connell, Rory Best, Johnny Sexton, Keith Earls and Peter O'Mahony all hit three figures in the years since, none ever felt likely to seriously trouble O'Driscoll's place in the record books.

In the end, his tally was matched against Argentina last Friday by a player who, due to a serious neck injury, had signed retirement papers sat on his desk just one year after O'Driscoll himself had hung up his boots.

For Cian Healy, who is expected to become the most capped player in Irish rugby history against Fiji on Saturday, the feat is all the more remarkable for the injuries he overcame to continue playing beyond his 37th birthday last month.

Indeed, the man himself modestly says the key to sticking around at international level since 2009 has been "durability".

"It's very different between Drico [O’Driscoll] and me," he said.

"I wasn't ever and will never be the player that he was, so it is separated in that immediately.

"I take pride in the durability and being able to show up. That's something I do hold myself to a bit, not missing training sessions and enjoying the hard work of week in and week out, year in and year out. I have enjoyed that."

Healy, who also surpassed Devin Toner's Leinster appearance record in September, admits he tries to block out any "personal stuff" from his match preparations, adding that his 100th cap against France in the 2020 Six Nations was "probably the worst week" of his career.

Those around him, though, are quick to shower him in superlatives.

"He hates it but he has to let us celebrate it," said head coach Andy Farrell who called Healy a "world-leading loose-head" and a "legend of our squad".

The head coach, who first encountered Healy on the British and Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013, also noted how valuable his experience has been to younger props.

One such younger player is Andrew Porter, who switched back to loose-head in 2021, having first appeared for Ireland on the other side of the scrum.

“When I first came in, Churchy [Healy] was the best - still is, I’d argue - loose-head in the world,” said Porter.

“I owe a lot to him in my own development. He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes."

While Porter has played on both the loose and the tight for Ireland, Healy has the distinction of having appeared right across the front-row, having been pressed into emergency action at hooker against Scotland in the Six Nations of 2023.

Ireland scrum coach John Fogarty still marvels at how he held his own in a new position at Murrayfield.

"The day we played against Scotland I'm in panic mode, because the two hookers go down and we're asking Cian to go into hooker, not knowing what's going to happen.

"But he's clear in his mind he's going to be competitive.

"To step into an international rugby game as a hooker, it says so much about him - we got two scrum penalties that day."

Fogarty calls Healy "unique" for possessing the physical attributes to succeed on either side of the scrum even at international level.

"He has an ability at loose-head to get to a really good hip height so he can launch into tight-heads, but he's got the overall strength and the hip strength as a tight-head that means he can stay in a good strong position to put pressure on a loose-head.

"He's got a range of abilities but what connects them is his mentality.

"He's an exceptional guy, isn't he? His mindset, his mentality, is different to the majority. He's an incredible competitor and that sets him apart."

"Unique" is Porter's choice of adjective too, although in this case referring to Healy's character, while both he and Fogarty agree further on the fact that, even at 37-years-old, there are a few more caps to come.

"He's definitely a unique character," Porter added.

"He's a huge asset to both Leinster and Ireland and he'll continue to be, it's not his last game.

"He's a great fella and it's great to be able to share the day with him. Hopefully he can push that on and add a few more to it."