Simon Easterby confident Cian Healy will bounce back from injury

Ireland’s team management are confident Cian Healy still has a vital role to play for his country at Test level despite his latest injury setback.

The Leinster and Lions loosehead prop was yesterday forced to withdraw from the matchday squad to face Italy at Aviva Stadium today, having suffered what forwards coach Simon Easterby described as a mild hamstring strain in training on Thursday. Healy had only made his comeback from January knee surgery as a substitute against England two weeks ago and this latest setback, following a serious hamstring injury and subsequent surgery last season, means he has started just four games for Ireland in the past two seasons, making a further six appearances off the bench.

His withdrawal means an unexpected call-up to the replacements for Connacht’s uncapped loosehead Finlay Bealham, who leapfrogged Munster’s more experienced James Cronin into the reckoning as back up to starting number one Jack McGrath. But Easterby insisted Healy, 28, still has plenty of opportunity to add to his 57 Test appearances, maybe as soon as next Saturday in the closing championship game against Scotland.

“I think the way Cian prepares himself and manages himself is very good. He’s diligent now and he’s mature in terms of years. He’s been through a lot of crappy days in terms of injuries and I think he’s frustrated, like everyone is when it’s your profession and the years are ticking by, you want to be making the most of those opportunities.

“We’re talking about a minor injury. It is for the protection of him and for the best of the team this weekend that he doesn’t involve himself, but that doesn’t mean we’re ruling him out for next week.

“We feel that he can put this behind him over the next few days and hopefully prepare himself to train fully next week.”

For now, Healy’s misfortune is 24-year-old Australian-born Bealham’s opportunity.

“He’s slotted in really well, he’s been involved with the squad from the very start,” Easterby said. “This is his first opportunity to get a taste of Test match rugby. He’s another product of Connacht going really well this year in the Pro12 in particular and they’re still in the European (Challenge Cup) quarter-finals.

“He’s done really well, he’s come in and impressed everyone. He’s got down to his hard work, got stuck into his job. Now he’s got an opportunity to show what can do at the highest level and I’m sure he’ll be well equipped for that.”