Dec 02,2024
Cian Healy has never loved having the spotlight shone on him, but on Saturday he was powerless to stop others from pushing him front and centre.
Before and after Saturday's 22-19 win against Australia, the IRFU were sure to remind people that the day was as much about him as it was about their own 150th anniversary celebrations.
Fronting the matchday programme, Healy was last out on to the pitch at Aviva Stadium on Saturday, walking hand in hand with his sons Beau and Russell, and after the game, the 37-year-old was presented with his record 134th Irish cap by IRFU President Declan Madden.
"I got a vibe from the roar alright, it perked me up a little bit," Healy said of the ovation when he came on as a second-half replacement for Andrew Porter, although he admits he never even noticed the bars of Hozier’s song 'Take me to Church’, which played out in the stadium as a tribute to his nickname.
"I guessed during the week what my thoughts would be, whether it's a lineout or scrum and I was right, so in for a scrum and hanker down on what I had to do there, but it was a nice moment. I enjoyed it."
It’s important to put Healy’s 134 caps into context. Not only has the Leinster man played more times for Ireland than any other player, only seven men have more international appearances in the game. The only prop who has played more times in Test rugby, James Slipper, just happened to be starting for the Wallabies on Saturday afternoon.
While the veteran prop has hinted this 18th season of professional rugby will likely be his last, he has made it clear he wants to be involved in the Six Nations, with his sights set on winning a sixth championship.
"I’m not driven by the number of caps. It is not something that pushes me on.
"Winning, and success with the group, trophies and that drives me on. Please God now I can keep playing and not get injured or anything like that and Simon [Easterby] might consider me for the Six Nations.
"I haven’t unpacked the feeling and emotion of it all just yet. I’m kind of staying as present as possible and enjoying the moment.
"I’d like to sit down and just watch the game at some point over the next few days. It’s what I do with most games and how I start my review. But it would be nice to sit down with the family and watch it at home," he added.
In the week leading up to his record-equalling 133rd cap Healy was quick to stress his reluctance to be the centre of attention, the importance of the occasion was clearly on his mind when he could be seen welling up during Amhrán na bhFiann.
That extra emotion came moments after he walked out onto the pitch with his two sons.
"I enjoyed that, it was brilliant. They were remarkably well behaved when they walked out. There was a fear one of them would take a bolt! I enjoyed it yeah.
"I cracked up a bit [during the anthems], I don’t know why. There wasn’t anything particularly on my mind. A lot of emotion during the week.
"I wasn’t blocking it out or anything like that. I just had to take a moment."
And with close to 420 professional games under his belt, Healy added that he’s become used to dealing with the big occasion.
"The big learning was from my 100th [cap]. I tried to push everything to the side and battle what was going on a little bit, and it just made it pile up and up and up.
"Today I was on the phone responding to as many texts as I could while keeping my game face on and going about my business, just building up for the game and not trying to shy away from it, try and walk towards it a little bit."
