Veteran Ireland prop Cian Healy is set to equal Brian O’Driscoll’s record of 133 Ireland caps after being named on the bench for Friday’s one-off rugby union test with Argentina.
Healy, 37, made his Test debut in 2009 and surprised many when he continued to play despite missing the 2023 Rugby World Cup due to injury.
Although Healy said this week he “would never be the player (O’Driscoll) was”, head coach Andy Farrell had no qualms about Healy’s place in the pantheon of rugby players Irish.
“For Cian (Healy), it will be an incredible moment for him, his family and friends to reach Brian O’Driscoll’s milestone of 133 caps,” Farrell said.
“We will once again pay tribute to Cian, but he is a legend of the game in Ireland and his influence on his teammates, past and present, transcends his many successes on the field.
“It promises to be a special evening.”
Farrell made just one change to the starting line-up which produced an uncharacteristically sloppy performance in the 23-13 loss to New Zealand last Friday.
Bundee center Aki, who was named world player of the year among Ireland’s best players last year, is out and Robbie Henshaw arrives for his 75th cap.
Farrell has retained faith in Jack Crowley at fly-half, despite the Irish attack failing to perform last week.
However, Ciaran Frawley, who had a nightmare replacing Crowley, was left out of the match day squad.
He is replaced on the bench by Sam Prendergast, 21, from whom we expect great things.
Prop Thomas Clarkson, who replaces Tom O’Toole on the bench, is also set for his first cap, ruled out with a head injury.
“For Tom and Sam, their promotion to the matchday squad for the first time is testament to their form, talent and application over recent weeks and we congratulate them on their selection,” Farrell said.
Farrell said Crowley would admit he “needs to step up a bit” and that, along with several other players, he “is lucky to get another chance”.
– “The pressure is good” –
As for Prendergast, Farrell says his Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa in October did him good.
He started all three games in a span of seven days.
“Prendergast is ready,” Farrell said.
“For a young guy, he didn’t get a lot of playing time.
“He’s a confident kid and a lot more comfortable in his own skin since we took him on the Emerging Ireland tour.
“The reason we did it was so he could take ownership of his team and show he was in charge, and he did that.”
Farrell made further changes to the bench, bringing on Craig Casey for veteran scrum-half Conor Murray and the more dynamic mixer Ryan Baird replacing Iain Henderson.
Ireland are yet to be beaten by Argentina in Dublin, but the Pumas arrive on the back of a successful Rugby Championship which included a historic victory over the All Blacks in New Zealand.
Farrell said it was great, after a loss like that, to immediately play a match against another top rival in Argentina.
“The pressure is good,” he said.
“That’s what focuses the mind, you see where your character is.
“We want to win all our games, but the opposition will always have a say.
“I think it’s perfect because we have another top opposition coming in and we want to test ourselves because we feel like we let a few people down last week.”
Team (15-1)
Ireland
Hugo Keenan; Mack Hansen, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Caelan Doris (captain), Josh van der Flier, Tadhg Beirne; James Ryan, Joe McCarthy; Finlay Bealham, Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Thomas Clarkson, Ryan Baird, Peter O’Mahony, Craig Casey, Sam Prendergast, Jamie Osborne
Coach: Andy Farrell (ENG)
pi/gj/bsp