CIAN HEALY WILL be fit to play his part in Ireland’s 2015 Rugby World Cup challenge, which begins later this month in England.
That’s according to one of Healy’s close friends, UFC fighter Cathal Pendred, who says he expects the loosehead prop to be held in reserve until Joe Schmidt’s side take on France in their final Pool D game on Sunday, 11 October.
Healy hasn’t featured in any of Ireland’s warm-up games for the tournament as he continues his recovery from a neck injury, with Jack McGrath set to start against England this weekend and Tadhg Furlong named among the replacements.
But Pendred — who played alongside Healy in Belvedere College’s 2005 Leinster Schools Senior Cup winning team — says the Irish international’s lack of recent game-time isn’t a concern when it comes to his World Cup fitness.
Before what’s likely to be a crunch meeting with the French, Ireland will take on Canada, Romania and Italy as they aim to secure a spot in the quarter-finals.
“Whenever he’s been injured he comes back sooner than he’s supposed to and I knew that was going to be the case with this,” Pendred told The42.
“He’s ready to go now. I think they’ll probably rest him up for the first couple of games as well, just to give him that extra bit of time to be sure, because they can afford to.
“I think they can get away with not using him until the France game; that’s their first big game that could put us in a great position moving forward, so I think that’s probably when they’ll use him.”
Tickets for UFC Fight Night 76 — featuring Cathal Pendred versus Tom Breese — go on sale this Friday, 4 September, via Ticketmaster.
