Leo Cullen: Cian Healy deserving of 'phenomenal' milestone

Leo Cullen has hailed the "phenomenal" longevity of Cian Healy, ahead of the loosehead prop's milestone appearance for Leinster at the Aviva Stadium tomorrow.

Healy has been named in the starting team among seven changes for the visit of the Dragons (7.35pm), with the 36-year-old set to play his 281st game for the province, moving him past Devin Toner to the top of the all-time list.

In his 17-year Leinster career, the prop has won a staggering seven league titles, four Champions Cups and a Challenge Cup, while he is also a five-time Six Nations winner with Ireland during his 131-cap Test journey.

"It's phenomenal really, well over 400 games, and the level, and the intensity of the level he's played at. He's a remarkable individual on so many fronts," Cullen said ahead of the visit of the Welsh region.

With Luke McGrath’s being the next most experienced player in the Leinster squad on 213 games, Cullen has also warned it will be a long time before Healy’s mark is equaled.

"If he was to play around 25 games season for three seasons [he would overtake him]. That's assuming Cian never plays again, but he's still playing.

"You think of the job of a prop; the scrum part, being a front row for that length of time and the job he's done there. I think when a lot of people talk about Cian, he's an amazing individual, and the uniqueness of him as a character.

"Being able to do it the way he has done it for so long and still be going strong, sometimes when players hit these milestones you start thinking of the end... It's phenomenal, it's a while before he has to pass the baton to someone else. He's safe for a while," he added.

As well as coaching Healy since 2015, Cullen spent seven years playing alongside the Clontarf man, during which