Healy hails Leinster’s growing squad depth

Cian Healy has welcomed the increasing competition for places among Leinster’s front row as the province turns attention from Heineken Cup duties to Saturday’s Pro12 derby against Connacht.

The Lions loosehead was the club’s only first-choice front rower available against Castres last weekend due to Mike Ross’s hamstring injury and Richardt Strauss’s heart condition — for which he underwent a successful operation last week.

It said much, then, that coach Matt O’Connor felt confident about his strength in depth against a hefty French pack to call Healy ashore with more than a quarter still to go, and send Jack McGrath in with Sean Cronin and Martin Moore.