Healy deal boosts Leinster as Munster suffer Flannery blow
Amid speculation linking a number of Declan Kidney’s frontline players with moves away from Ireland, Irish Rugby Football Union chief executive Philip Browne sounded a defiant note last night as Leinster’s emerging star at loose-head prop signed a new international contract that will keep him in the jurisdiction for another two seasons up to 2013.
Healy’s new deal follows those concluded before Christmas with experienced Munster duo Donncha O’Callaghan and Ronan O’Gara. Yet, with fly-half Jonathan Sexton attracting serious interest from Stade Francais and Munster back Keith Earls and Leinster No.8 Jamie Heaslip among the other young guns on the radar of French Top 14 scouts, wrapping up 23-year-old Healy’s services for the time being represents a significant feather in the IRFU’s cap.
In an IRFU statement announcing the new Healy contract, the governing body’s chief executive did not refer directly to the player in question, rather the importance of heading of a potential Irish player drain.
“We began the process of contracting players as early as the summer and while it is something that can take time to complete, this is nothing new and we are progressing through the majority of those contracts that are coming to an end this season or early next season,” Browne said.
“With a fixture list of potentially over 40 matches per season and with even more games in overseas leagues where we would have no influence on the game time for Irish players, it is vital that we continue to work to retain players to play within Ireland in the provinces.
“It’s only in this way that we can continue to have a positive influence on their development and in particular to ensure that our international players are best equipped to contribute to the further success of Irish rugby at international level and also at provincial level.”
Healy’s strength as a ball carrier and in open play generally caught the eye during the autumn internationals and the loose head’s progress at scrum time will also have pleased Kidney in the absence of the injured Marcus Horan.
Horan is almost ready for a return to the Munster colours following a broken wrist that has kept him out since October, but his team-mate Flannery faces up to six weeks out.
The hooker, playing his first game since October, lasted just 28 minutes of his comeback on Saturday against Ulster when he broke down with a calf problem. A scan has revealed a tear in the muscle, ruling him out for between four and six weeks.
That takes the 32-year-old out of Munster’s remaining Heineken Cup pool games this month and also makes him a serious doubt for Ireland’s opening Six Nations games in Italy on February 5 and at home to France the following weekend.
Munster head coach Tony McGahan received better news on back row James Coughlan yesterday after a specialist deemed his cheekbone injury was not as serious as first thought.
Coughlan was named in a 27-man Munster squad for Saturday’s Magners League tie against Glasgow Warriors at Musgrave Park, as were Johne Murphy, David Wallace, O’Callaghan and O’Gara, who were rested for the Ulster game.
MUNSTER: W Du Preez, Darragh Hurley, T Buckley, J Hayes, P Borlase, M Sherry, D Varley, B Holland, D O’Callaghan, M O’Driscoll, Donnacha Ryan, N Ronan, J Coughlan, T O’Donnell, D Wallace, D Leamy; T O’Leary, P Stringer, S Deasy, R O’Gara, P Warwick, J Murphy, S Tuitupou, K Earls, L Mafi, Denis Hurley, D Howlett.
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