Let’s get physical, declares powerhouse prop Healy

Cian Healy will be watching a rerun of the recent Argentina and South Africa clash, a rugged affair in which both sides put physicality before quality.

Irish prop Healy, like the rest of the squad, has been instructed to watch the game on the basis that both teams visit Dublin this autumn, but Healy won’t be worried if physicality will be top of the agenda in both those games.

His attitude is very much one of “bring ’em on”.

“I like people running at me. I like them trying to go through me. That’s where I come out best so I’m looking forward to that,” he said.

For now, Healy has to make do with a relaxed approach to training and a restriction to getting back on the pitch. The man management of Ireland’s players has been such that Healy only this week got back down to scrummaging training with Leinster.

But that means one thing based on past experience — that he’ll be given the green light to get some match-time soon and he can’t wait.

One match into the RaboDirect Pro12, and Leinster are already reeling from the shock of defeat. But although Healy’s young colleagues were at the end of a hammering from Llanelli Scarlets, the big prop says there is absolutely no reason for panic.

Indeed, he is confident the team and individuals within it, will respond vigorously and use it as a learning curve. He recalled how, in earlier days, he had to absorb lessons from opponents and figures that made him a better player.

“I’m not concerned about being bullied by Llanelli. I’m happy with where we’re [Leinster] going.

“It was the first game of the season, a few of the lads out there were going up against pretty big guys and big names. You gotta go in and play those games when you’re young and take the experience. Stuff like that is going to happen to you, the same as me.

“I’ve taken a few hidings in the scrums and if I was put down straight away it wouldn’t have been too good. You’ve gotta support the players and go forward with that.”

With a Lions tour on the horizon, it’s going to be a long season for some. Healy will be very much in line for selection but it’s not something he intends thinking about.

“We’ve another season before all of that comes around. If you’re to think about something like that, you just get ahead of yourself. I’ve got to look [focus] at the RaboDirect, the Heineken Cup and, hopefully, involvement with Ireland. No more than that.”

However, unlike Argentina and South Africa’s recent clash, Healy hopes to show a lot more than just set-piece power. “I’ll be looking to play a bit more. Use the hands a bit and become a pass option to spread out, as well as run myself. That will be on my mind as well as keeping scrummaging and contact area stuff going.”

Dragons (v Leinster): Backs: D Evans, H Amos, T Prydie, W Harries, A Tuilagi, A Smith, P Leach, L Robling, S Jones, W Evans, J Evans.

Forwards: T Brown, T Faletau, H Stoddart, L Evans, J Groves, I Jones, A Jones, I Nimmo, T Ryan, N Buck, N Williams, A Coundley, H Gustafson, S Parry.