Cian Healey Update

The (not so) Independent

The Lions will decide within the next 48 hours whether to summon a replacement prop for Cian Healy, who suffered suspected ankle ligament damage in today’s 69-17 win over Western Force.


Although an X-ray confirmed the Ireland loose-head did not suffer a break, Warren Gatland is sufficiently concerned to consider a replacement.

England’s Alex Corbisiero, who can play on both sides of the scrum, and Ryan Grant, impressive for Scotland during the Six Nations, will be the front-runners to come in if needed.

Worrying news considering Jenkins is struggling for fitness.

I think they should call up a replacement anyway, would be the safest option and it would take the pressure off immediately.

I would usually champion Corbisiero for this spot as a replacement, although I think he could really do with the Argentina tour to regain some of his match fitness. Against the CONSUR XV he came on as a sub and got sin bined for a scrummaging infringement. I think his scrummaging is up there with the best in the NH, so it was an odd thing to see. Based on that, and his superb form in the Six Nations, I'd go for Grant as the replacement. Harsh on Corbs, but luck hasn't been on his side.

call me cynical but Grant has to be considered over Corbs due to the fact he has played, and played well in the last 6 months.

Grant had a good display for Scotland in the 6N's and had great performamces for Glasgow in the run in of the league. Including a game with a brace of tries.

IMO Grant should have been given the call ahead of the likes of Matt Stevens and if he misses out to Corbs whose fitness and form could be questionable due to lack of games through injury then it will be the same as Gatland choosing Lydiate over Brown/Robshaw et al and will again cause questions into Gatlands choices of personel

tigertattie wrote:call me cynical but Grant has to be considered over Corbs due to the fact he has played, and played well in the last 6 months.

Grant had a good display for Scotland in the 6N's and had great performamces for Glasgow in the run in of the league. Including a game with a brace of tries.

IMO Grant should have been given the call ahead of the likes of Matt Stevens and if he misses out to Corbs whose fitness and form could be questionable due to lack of games through injury then it will be the same as Gatland choosing Lydiate over Brown/Robshaw et al and will again cause questions into Gatlands choices of personel

Grant plays in a different position to Matt Stevens.

true stag... Grant is a genuine prop... Matt Steven's is a waterboy.

How that guy has toured with the lions twice and played in a RWC final is beyond me.

Grant has had a good season

Paul James has to be considered - especially with his partnership with Hibbard and Adam

Grant is a good call, and has to be near next in line but James is a better scrummager (one of the best scrummaging LH's in europe) and can cover the TH better than Stevens!

I wouldn't bat an eye lid at Grant or James being called up however, but Corbisiero would be the risky option!

probably right Bluesman... Corbisiero would have gone had he been fit and had a full season in him... he was quite impressive last year.

Too risky now though. What the lions need is a sure thing if Healy cannot continue.

However does the replacement need to be a prop? Gatland may think that he's well covered with 5 existing props already on tour and could use this opportunity to shore up another position.

wales606 wrote:Grant has had a good season

Paul James has to be considered - especially with his partnership with Hibbard and Adam

Paul James!! I knew there was someone I'd forgotten. Straight shoot out between James and Grant for me. Like someone above said, Corbs would be the risky option.

I whole heartedly agree Corbisiero wouldve been there if fit, we wouldve had an immense LH 3 had he gone (although Vunipolas carrying has been good)

If Healy needs replacing it has to be a prop, no point taking risks with only 2 LH's this early on, but we definately need a 10 out there!!!

Stevens can play the waterboy LH.... I think a replacement 10 would be very useful.

A little unwise to pick Sexton and Farrell in the test 23 (which they will be) and then one of them has to play on the wednesday because there is no one else.
There is another midweek match inbetween the tests too.

What happens if Hogg is also in the test 23????

and thats just a midweek starter question not even a midweek bench cover. Who else Roberts!!!

1/2p might be in the 23 also midweek

We can't afford to use Sexton/Farell/Hogg and 1/2p 4 times in 10days!!!

wales606 wrote:Grant has had a good season

Paul James has to be considered - especially with his partnership with Hibbard and Adam

Don't say Paul James or bluesmancometh will call you a low life!

t1000advancedprototype wrote:

wales606 wrote:Grant has had a good season

Paul James has to be considered - especially with his partnership with Hibbard and Adam

Don't say Paul James or bluesmancometh will call you a low life!

But then he wasn't celebrating Healy's injury seconds after hitting the deck and while the medical team worked on him you lowlife!

Awh schitt. Really sorry to hear about Healy's injury. I was hoping that things sounded* worse than they were.

Hope he makes a full recovery really soon.

*I haven't watched any highlights really (only the tries shown on the lunchtime news) and didn't see the game - was working.

Paul James, Sheridan, Grant, Corbisiero - there are a few good options but Healy would be a big blow as I felt he was a cut above the rest at current. His carrying game is brilliant, a real wrecking ball.

Grant or Sheridan would be my first choices from the above options.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

t1000advancedprototype wrote:

wales606 wrote:Grant has had a good season

Paul James has to be considered - especially with his partnership with Hibbard and Adam

Don't say Paul James or bluesmancometh will call you a low life!

But then he wasn't celebrating Healy's injury seconds after hitting the deck and while the medical team worked on him you lowlife!

You twist things to your advantage don't you?

When did I "celebrate"?
Please remind me what I said?
Explain how you interpret what I said as celebrating.

You are delusional.

The injury looked serious. The pundits said it looked serious. I suggested Paul James may get a call up. That was it.

You're such a big man insulting strangers on an internet forum. Especially when it's uncalled for.

T1000,

You did post as soon as Healy hit the ground, based on your past posting record it may have been wiser to at least wait a little. Blues has over-reacted however.

LondonTiger wrote:T1000,

You did post as soon as Healy hit the ground, based on your past posting record it may have been wiser to at least wait a little. Blues has over-reacted however.

I certainly havn't, posting 'Paul James call up?' after Healy was on the floor for mere seconds is plain stupidity, I dislike this guys style of posting, I don't beleive he's even Welsh, and I am embarassed by him as a Welsh national myself

LondonTiger wrote:T1000,

You did post as soon as Healy hit the ground, based on your past posting record it may have been wiser to at least wait a little. Blues has over-reacted however.

The timing of the post is irrelevant. We were all commenting live as the game progressed.

I wish him well (especially if injury is tour threatening).
Healey is better than Paul James I wouldn't want him to miss the remainder of the tour.

Can't even believe I'm explaining myself it's ludicrous.

You can't tell anything conclusive from this image, but this is around the time the bite occured, another angle would be needed to confirm it.

Spoiler:

t1000 was voicing what many others were thinking, there was no malice in it, it was a natural reaction and he did not write to offend. Too much PC shix you lot are thinking these days. Good luck to Healey in his recovery he will be a great loss if he doesn't recover.

thebluesmancometh wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:T1000,

You did post as soon as Healy hit the ground, based on your past posting record it may have been wiser to at least wait a little. Blues has over-reacted however.

I certainly havn't, posting 'Paul James call up?' after Healy was on the floor for mere seconds is plain stupidity, I dislike this guys style of posting, I don't beleive he's even Welsh, and I am embarassed by him as a Welsh national myself

Oh if only you knew!!!

You're like a big stroppy kid throwing his toys out. If you dislike my posting style just be the better man and ignore what I say instead of following me around scrutinising me. Time to grow up.

cited!!
yet in the match report the TMO said it was nothing worth noting!

Looks like the OZ judging panel will be polishing there gavels and donning the black caps

Agree with a lot of whats been said about Corbs, fit and on form he's the best scrummager and fetching prop we have. Unfortunately he is not fit and on form, I'm happy for either James or Grant to come out, be a bit of a surprise if sheridan was called out imo.

Healy is a loss, but if Vunipola can continue his form then it really won't matter! Probably the best prop display i've ever seen, admittedly the opposition wasn't up to much!

Either Grant or Sheridan to come in for me if needed. Fingers crossed for Healy though.

The Ozzie panels have a history of over the top judgements for non events if it helps them out.

Ben Cohen was baned for a spear tackle when all he did was hit the bloke hard in the tackle and it knocked his feet from under him

Corbisiero called up as cover according to the BBC.

Feel massively sorry for Ryan Grant - he actually couldn't have done anymore to warrant his selection. He's fit and on form

Can't help but think corbs is benefiting from having the England scrum coach with the lions, and Scotland players will be overlooked due to a lack of Scottish presence in the coaching team

Duty281 wrote:Corbisiero called up as cover according to the BBC.

Confirmed by Lions twitter account.
When you think about it, his call up makes sense given how well he played in the 6 Nations & the regular shifts he's been putting in for London Irish...

Would have went for Grant and then James over Corbs. Bad call.

Hmmm, not so happy with Corbs - he hasn't played and been on form for a fair while

I would have been much happier to see Grant or James called up.

Ah well, hopefully he won't be needed if Gethin and Vunipola stay fit.

RDW_Scotland wrote:Feel massively sorry for Ryan Grant - he actually couldn't have done anymore to warrant his selection. He's fit and on form

Can't help but think corbs is benefiting from having the England scrum coach with the lions, and Scotland players will be overlooked due to a lack of Scottish presence in the coaching team

that should have nothing to do with it. Scottish players are getting the shaft despite playing well. Grant has been superb all season long.

Duty281 wrote:Corbisiero called up as cover according to the BBC.

Well that's a very high risk call. Corbisiero is real class but can't possibly be match fit. I think most of us would have had him in the original squad had he not been injured. Grant, and James had strong 6N's too.

IMO Gatland makes too many iffy decisions (Best, Stevens, Lydiate, choice of captain) and one of them might catch him out. Hope not of course - and I hope Corbisiero goes well.

It should have nothing to do with it, but seems to be the deciding factor!

Corbs (if this Daily Fail article is to be believed http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-2335429/Alex-Corbisiero-prepares-relaunch-England-career-Argentina.html) has played a measly 3 games for London Irish this year!!!!!! What the actual duck...

The Lions selectors never make any sense - they did originally pick Hartley over Best after all!

No doubt this is Rowntree's influence - just as I suspect the exclusion of Best was

All the front row players have been from England and Wales - the countries the coaches are used to working with, with the exception of Healy who was impossible to leave out.

Glad Grant is staying with Scotland in our SA tournament. Gatland clearly doesn't rate him, that's the Lions loss sadly but Scotland's gain.

Gatland is clearly in favour of Scottish independence

Has Corbs actually been called up?

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/11984.php#.Ua9945x5F9U - Corbs news

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/11983.php#.Ua99_Zx5F9U - Healy Citing

Pretty gutted for Healy. Missed the game today, terrible news to hear of his injury.

It's a huge call.

Right now i think we are leaning towards a Gethin Hibbard Jones front row

Hasn't Vunipola been outstanding? He was very good in the BaaBaas game and apparently very good today. Why Gethin?

LondonTiger wrote:http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/11984.php#.Ua9945x5F9U - Corbs news

http://www.lionsrugby.com/news/11983.php#.Ua99_Zx5F9U - Healy Citing

Ryan Grant robbed again by FatLand

Anyone for a packet of 'rowntree's randoms'..!

Not sure Grant has been 'robbed' it is very early for him in his debut season remember.

It's a risky call though Corbs, Jenkins isn't fit and we havn't seen him yet, I wouldve plumped for the far safer option of James, Corbs and Grant wouldve been luxuries that wouldve been nice IMO