Shocked Healey axed by Leicester
The England and Lions star will be replaced on the wing by Ireland’s Geordan Murphy, who switches from full back, with in-form 23-year-old Sam Vesty given the number 15 shirt.
“I’m very, very, very, very disappointed and I don’t understand it,” said Healey, 31.
“Objectively, I’ve had a good season. I missed two tackles and dropped a ball at Leeds. I had a long discussion with (head coach) John Wells. I put my point of view, he put his. He wants an impact player and I’ve just got to be effective for the team if I get on. Of all the non-selections in my career, this hurts the most. Apart from Leeds, I feel I have played well.
“It’s a big game. No player has the right to be selected. You can’t live in the past. Wellsy’s done what he thinks best for the team.
“But it is depressing. I’d love to ram it down Wellsy’s face and that’s what he wants me to do. I’ve been dropped before but it’s still disappointing. Before all big games, I’ve had a poor game the week before.”
Wells insisted dropping Healey was not a reaction to Sunday’s shock Zurich Premiership defeat by bottom club Leeds.
“There’s lots of ways of looking at this. Sam, in the eyes of myself and Pat Howard, has been outstanding all season. Austin at times has been mercurial, and at other times he has been awful,” he said.
“Perhaps the same could have been said for a lot of our players last weekend. What we have tried to do is put Austin in a position where he can still have a massive impact on the game,” Healey told the Leicester Mercury.
“We also believe we have got guys starting who will do a job for us early on. When Pat and I sat down at looked at selection all the way round, we looked at what has been going well for us and what has not been going so well over the last few weeks.
“If it was purely a knee-jerk reaction to Sunday’s game, a lot of other people would have been in doubt for their position as well.
“We have been very impressed with how Sam has played and we felt that, with what Leinster will throw at us early on, it’s a good opportunity for him to start and Geordie to be there on the wing.”
England forwards Graham Rowntree and Lewis Moody return to the starting line-up, but there will be late fitness tests for Julian White and Ben Kay.
: S Vesty; G Murphy, O Smith, D Gibson, L Lloyd; A Goode, H Ellis; G Rowntree, G Chuter, J White, M Johnson (capt), L Deacon, L Moody, N Back, M Corry.
: J Buckland, M Holford, D Morris, B Kay/B Deacon, H Tuilagi, W Johnson, S Bemand, R Broadfoot, A Tuilagi, A Healey.
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