CIAN HEALY IS usually wary of the microphones when they’re thrust his way.
But with a hot sun on his back, his name in a British and Irish Lions squad and some concrete added to Leinster’s medium-term future he was closer to his natural personality.
He smiles as the name of his next provincial coach, Matt O’Connor, is put his way.
“Worst kept secret, wasn’t it?” Healy says. “But it’s great to have that sorted now. We’ve been focused on our rugby rather than the outside stuff, but it’s a good positive to have that sorted before we go into this stage.”
That stage is where Healy has found to be a second home in his time with Leinster.
Sandwiched into the final weekends of the season, the RaboDirect Pro12 semi-final are perhaps the most undervalued knock-out stage in European rugby. Or perhaps it’s to Leinster’s credit that the anticipation for this game feels like any other Pro12 clash.
If the previous meeting is anything to go by, then the Glasgow Warriors’ visit to the RDS this Saturday could well make many wonder why they don’t watch the league more.
Then Leinster, albeit in the absence of Jonathan Sexton, were fortunate to escape with a win after the Scots were ruled to have passed forward in the last play of a 22-17 defeat. It could have gone either way, Cian.
“It could have, yeah. Things like that do stand to you. They remind you not to let your guard down, but I think we’ve been pretty good in keeping control and having a reality check on how we’re going defensively.”
The D word is Healy’s main focus ahead of the visit of the side who put 35 points on Ospreys, 51 on Munster, 60 on Cardiff and 20 on Ulster without a single score off the boot. Leinster however held them to nil in a dank affair in Scotstoun.
“Of course,” says the prop when it’s mentioned that the Warriors are capable of cutting loose. Bullishly, though, he adds: “if you let them.”
“We’re going to have to focus on defence and it’s going to be big for us to row in and make sure there’s no gaps in there.”
©INPHO/Lorraine O’Sullivan
“Happy.” Was the one emotion that came to mind when he reflects on his Lions selection and that mood continued for Healy through a week where he was on the score-sheet against the Ospreys.
Perhaps though, it’d be nice if Leinster had brought in a head coach with a grounding in forwards coaching for a change?
“No, I’m working on playing 12, so it might help me.”
A new coach, but the revolution surely won’t go that far.
