CIAN HEALY’S RECOLLECTIONS of the final minutes of Ireland’s 22-19 loss to New Zealand last year are as foggy as the weather front that enveloped AMI Stadium on the night itself.
Asked to reflect on a dubious penalty call from referee Nigel Owens, which was crucial in the All Blacks getting on the front foot in the Irish half, the prop cannot recall the specifics. The manner of Ireland’s 60-0 thumping to the same foe, one week later, is fresh in Healy’s mind.
He said: “It was tough coming from that, having put so much in [at Christchurch] to letting ourselves down to the extent we did a week later.
There’s a bit of hurt to that; it was fairly shameful to have 60 points put on you. We know what’s capable of ourselves and we know what we can take this team to. There’s no real limits on us, going out this week.”
Ireland forwards coach John Plumtree declared that the Irish pack — the same eight that faced Australia — trained angry this week. Healy, though, was the most Zen of the bunch. “I don’t really let anger take over so much,” he said.
Sessions in Maynooth have been intense, the prop revealed, but many of the defensive defects that cost them dearly against the Wallabies seem to be rectified. One thing that would definitely help to alleviate some pressure would be strong carries by Healy, Jamie Heaslip and captain Paul O’Connell. Sean O’Brien has long since been recognised as Ireland’s go-to ball carrier so teammates are required to scream for Conor Murray’s attention and make some big plays.
Healy said, “Whoever is there will be up for a ball carry. I’ll get my job done first at scrum. If I do that, I’ll be out the field for ball carries. Everyone’s got to look after their own ship but, by doing that right, it frees people up for runs. If one person wasn’t doing their job right that frees up on of their guys to [target] Seanie, carrying the ball.”
The prop feels ‘you can talk until the cows come home about belief’ but putting in the hard yards on the training pitch is the only way the Irish can give themselves a chance. As for the All Blacks, Healy will not be pumping their tyres any time soon.
He declared, “I constantly call them New Zealand in my head as I don’t like the name All Blacks. It’s something I go with… when you do put them on a pedestal you’re already below them.”
