John O'Sullivantalks to Leinster's Cian Healy who, at only 21, has made a huge impression with his power, athleticism and singularity of purpose
CIAN HEALY doesn't clutter his life with introspection, preferring a linear focus rooted in the present. Past achievements and future expectations are thrust to the periphery as the 21-year-old attends to the practical daily requirements of fast tracking his career as a professional rugby player.
He's advanced well beyond the foothills despite his tender years, an achievement made all the more laudable when considering that he's a foot soldier in the trench warfare of the frontrow. There is no escaping the collisions of the scrum, where inexperience and technical imperfections are preyed upon relentlessly.
There are no short cuts or mitigation. The introduction of the ELVs has empowered the scrum again as an important platform in attack and defence. If a prop can not fulfil his basic duties, it doesn't matter what additional skills he possesses. He's like a shiny, new car with no wheels; he's going nowhere.
Healy could be a poster boy for the modern forward, athletic, powerful and mobile with excellent ball skills but he knew he couldn't ignore the nefarious arts of his position. He enthusiastically enrolled in a course conducted by some of the best teachers. There wasn't much travel involved.
"Everyone has helped me to progress. I would listen to everyone and take it in, then apply what works for me. Ollie (le Roux), Jonno (Gibbes), Stan (Wright), CJ (van der Linde) have been great. It probably goes back to Reggie (Corrigan) and Will (Green) who were huge influences and helped me to learn my trade.
"I identified that I need to do a lot more work on my scrum technique. So far this season I have been pretty happy with it. When I came back (to start pre-season) I was a good few kilos heavier. That's helped a bit as has being with the lads on a regular basis. The priority is to work harder and harder.
"The running and ball carrying comes easy. My focus is on scrums, my work in the tight; those responsibilities would be a priority. The extras would be speed work and handling. Knowing that CJ (van der Linde) was coming in (to Leinster) and Stan (Wright) was there; starting (for Leinster) was out of the question. I just wanted to try and get a spot on the bench and work from there."
Healy has immersed himself with an impressive singularity of purpose, a fact acknowledged by Ireland coach Declan Kidney who included the young prop in extended national squads for the November Test series.
It has whetted the appetite of the Leinster prop.
"It's certainly something that I want to be a part of and I suppose you could say it's an ideal scenario at this point in my career. The players have been very good to me. If you have a problem you can have a chat, ask someone. Deccie (Declan Kidney) has been very good, very helpful. He's pulled me aside a few times to tell me where I stand. He doesn't leave you in the dark, which is good."
If Healy is conscientiously working on his scrum technique the preoccupation for others is to marvel at his power and athleticism and the ability to score tries. Two from last season encapsulate his talent, the first against Ulster where he exploited a dogleg in defence through acceleration and strength in contact.
The second, this time against Glasgow, saw him popping up on the wing and with an excellent turn of foot, a dip of the shoulder and smooth outward arc, he outpaced the cover to the try line.
Healy is infused by a restless impatience, characteristic of the young. Being 21-years-old is an irrelevancy prompting him to neither look back at what he has achieved nor consider anything that strays further than the immediacy of training and playing.
He's not inclined to take stock, only when pressed to do so.
His kitbag is choc-full of sporting honours. His initial contact with the game came as a seven-year-old when rocking up with some friends to Clontarf rugby club before Belvedere College consumed his energies. At school he spent two years on the Junior Cup team at hooker, reaching a quarter-final and a semi-final and then three years on the SCT team.
His versatility is illustrated by the fact he played prop and hooker in fourth year when the senior team reached the semi-final, was hooker on the Leinster Schools' Senior cup winning team the following season and then in sixth year reverted to prop on a side beaten in the semi-final.
It wasn't just rugby at which he excelled as arguably he made an even bigger impact in schools athletics. For two years in succession he won the All-Ireland shot putt and discus titles, having previously been the Intermediate All-Ireland javelin champion.
He played representative schools rugby at provincial level, progressing to Ireland Schools, Ireland Under-19 and in 2006 an Ireland Under-20 team that claimed a Grand Slam.
He observed: "It was an amazing experience. It was like playing with your 15 best mates. There was a great bond in the squad and because of that it helped when things got tough in matches. No one wanted to let anyone else down and that helped us in a couple of tight games."
On leaving school he was snapped up by Leinster's Academy, his progress such that plans to study Physical Education and Biology at Dublin City University had to be put on the back burner as soon as he broke into the senior squad last season.
"I have deferred starting PE and Biology. Rugby is the only thing that I am doing at the moment, although I am looking to start a night course soon.
"Declan Kidney is very big on doing something outside the rugby. I was looking into a management course; a diploma course that would set me up to study further. When you leave underage rugby and go to senior there are a lot more in line for selection.
"It's more enjoyable in a funny way that there is more competition because it's made me work harder. There are loads of people ahead of me that are bigger and better with more experience. Now I have to try and catch up: I'm enjoying that.
"I am a little bit stubborn when it comes to what I can achieve. I'm not satisfied (to look back and be content) and I suppose when you're young you're always impatient to move forward. I want to start with Leinster, (want to) win with Leinster and of course I want to be an international.
"I haven't set long-term goals, more a case of short-term management. I'm concentrating on developing my game while at the same time conscious of the demands that the different competitions impose. I suppose my focus now is on individual matches on a weekly basis and my responsibilities. I don't really sit back and think about the big picture."
He doesn't feel constrained by his career in terms of a social life, demonstrating a maturity in outlook. "I have a wide circle of friends but it's not difficult at all to balance rugby and a social life. To me playing rugby is the most enjoyable thing that I could do.
"I don't see it as a burden that I can't go out midweek with my friends. I wouldn't find it holding me back. I've always taken rugby seriously and now that it is my career I have to appreciate that I have responsibilities.
"The only time that it might hit you was during the summer when your friends are going off to Thailand or America; you'd envy them that. But I plan on travelling after my career is finished or squeezing in a little bit here and there."
Time away from rugby may soon be consumed by study but for now it centres on his girlfriend and friends; considerably less devoted to the PlayStation to which he confessed to being a bit "hooked" at one stage. He also indulges in a past-time that couldn't be further removed from rugby.
"I'm not great at relaxing but I do a bit of drawing or painting. It wouldn't be every night but it is something that I'd do to chill out. It's mainly sketches or acrylics; (based on) stuff that's in my mind," he smiles.
It's interesting to note that when asked about his favourite rugby memory of his career to date Healy eschews anything from his underage days, instead recalling January 12th, 2008.
"It would have to be the Heineken Cup game against Toulouse at the RDS when I came on as a half-time replacement for Stephen Knoop. I got to scrum against (Jean Baptiste) Poux.
"There are many elements to why I chose that game, but growing up I was in awe of Toulouse and what they represented and achieved. Playing against them meant I had achieved an ambition and also gave me an insight into where I needed to improve. One of the things I really like about the Leinster set-up is that we demand the highest standards of ourselves.
"It's not about external pressure in terms of expectation; not today against the Newport Gwent Dragons and not against Castres the following week. We need to improve our performances in the Magners and in terms of Europe, all we have made is a good start. We have to back it up; it won't be good enough if we don't."
The last sentiments carry a certain resonance in terms of the Healy the player. In a short space of time he has transformed from a player of ethereal promise to tangible asset.
He's young, he's gifted and he's dedicated and while others marvel at his progress when cross referenced by age, he concerns himself exclusively with numbers of a different kind: those on the back of a blue and yellow jersey.
Date of Birth:Oct 7th, 1987 (Dublin).
Height:1.85m (6ft 1in).
Weight:110kg (17st 4lb).
Position:Prop.
Club:Clontarf FC.
School:Belvedere College SJ.
Leinster A Caps:2 (v Munster, Ospreys).
Ireland A Caps:4 (v England x2, USA, Argentina).
Ireland Under-20 Caps:4 (v France, England, Scotland, Italy) *Member of 2007 Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winning squad.
Leinster Under-20 Caps:4 (v Munster, Ulster x2, Connacht 2006 - 3 tries).
Ireland Under-19 Caps:7.
Ireland Under-19 A Caps:1.
Leinster Under-19 Schools Caps:4.
Ireland Schools Caps:3.
Leinster Schools Caps:4.
