Healy puts head down to get around road Bok

AT just 24 years of age, Cian Healy is still something of a beginner when it comes to the art of propping but the Clontarf man has nonetheless matured since his return from World Cup duties in New Zealand.

Like countless others, Healy found that time had not stood still back at the day job. Heinke van der Merwe was in situ at openside and the South African has been hard to unseat in the 10 or so weeks since.

Healy has had to brush off the odd niggle and knock and Leinster have engaged in a head-spinning amount of rotation in terms of personnel but the inescapable fact is that the young Irishman has so far played second string to the Bok.