Record-breaking Cian Healy still has international itch he wants to scratch
While he tried not to make a big deal out of it in the lead up to the game, veteran prop Cian Healy acknowledged he had ‘a great feeling of pride’ after becoming Leinster’s most capped player of all time at the Aviva Stadium last Friday.
Previously tied with his former team-mate Devin Toner after appearing off the bench in their opening round win away to Edinburgh, Healy made a record-breaking 281st appearance (as a starter on this occasion) in a 34-6 bonus point victory over Dragons in the United Rugby Championship at Irish Rugby HQ.
A debutant against the now-defunct Border Reivers all the way back in May 2007, Healy has picked up 12 major honours thus far in the blue of the eastern province – including four European Champions Cup crowns.
“I tried to push it aside as much as I could during the week. The squad and coaches, and Dev [Devin Toner] was on to me. Everyone was on to me,” Healy remarked after Friday’s game.
“They all made a huge effort and made it a special week for me, but the personal and the feelings about it, I just tried to park for my preparation and to try and be in the best head space for a game as I could.
“I do have a great feeling of pride at the moment and I think further on, I’ll delve a bit deeper into what it is and what it actually has taken to get here.”
Healy’s longevity is all the more remarkable when you consider a neck injury almost led to his retirement from rugby in 2015. He continues to pick up his share of bumps and bruises, but the 36-year-old feels in good shape during the early weeks of what may well prove to be his final season as a professional.
“This probably will be the last one. The body is good. It has its aches, but it has always had its aches. If you mentally give into those aches and start taking Mondays off training and doing that… that’s not what I’m about. I don’t think it has that effect on me.”
Last Friday’s feat could be the first of two significant individual milestones for Healy in the 2024/25 season as he needs just three more appearances to surpass fellow Clontarf native Brian O’Driscoll as the man with the most senior international caps for Ireland.
Although this isn’t something he is actively chasing, Healy is nevertheless hopeful of adding an extra Six Nations Championship title to the five he has won to date across 131 test outings.
“I’d love to win another Six Nations. That is something I’d want to be a part of, share those experiences with more people. Love to be part of the November Series that looks to be against some serious teams,” Healy added.
“There is an itch I want to scratch there and it’s not so much about going past Drico. It’s about winning and achieving things with groups of people. That’s something that seriously drives me.”