Healy: Back to basics time

RABO DIRECT PRO12:

For two straight weeks they have known the bitter taste of defeat, to Toulon in Europe and Opsreys in the Pro12. Tonight offers the opportunity to start another winning curve.

Treviso arrive in Dublin needing points to stay above Zebre in the race for the one Italian slot in the new European Rugby Champions Cup, but few will expect them to further that cause against the league leaders at the RDS.

“Yeah, we haven’t been in a phase where we’ve had defeats in a while,” said Cian Healy this week. “We’ve been in quite a good position with our rugby. We went down to two tough teams and came out second.

“So it’s pretty important this week for Leinster to just get our basics right, play a good game and stick it out. It could be 60/70 minutes before it starts to open but we’ll have to hammer it in for that long.”

Brian O’Driscoll is the most notable of the five changes drafted in. He replaces Gordon D’Arcy at No 13 while Darragh Fanning starts on the wing instead of Dave Kearney. The other three changes come in the pack.

Mike McCarthy, right, takes over at lock from Leo Cullen while Rhys Ruddock and Jordi Murphy assume the spots held by Kevin McLaughlin and Shane Jennings against the Ospreys. Healy will start in an unchanged front row.

That inclusion is slightly surprising.

The week just passing has been devoted mostly to rehab on his dodgy ankles that have been taped tightly all season, although he did take time out to call into Castle Avenue and Clontarf RFC on Wednesday.

It was there that the loosehead began his rugby odyssey and the Ulster Bank League Division 1A side welcome Ballynahinch tomorrow with none other than the world famous Barbarians following suit next Wednesday.

Dubbed the ‘Battle of Clontarf’ in recognition of the 1,000th anniversary of Brian Boru’s defeat of the Danes, it will be the illustrious visitors’ eighth visit to these shores.

Healy, naturally, would love to play a part but it is seven years since he wore the blue and red and those ankles will surely be chief among Leinster coach Matt O’Connor’s thoughts when it comes to deciding if he can tog out.

“It still could happen, it’s all up to Mattie and how fit he thinks I am. So we’ll see. It would be something that would be good to do.

“If I was on the bench someone could get injured and I could be on after five minutes. You have to look at everything like that.”

Leinster’s fixtures list may work in his favour there given the league takes a break next week before the resumption and final two rounds of the regular season. By then, Leinster should have five more points to their credit.