Austin Healey
England
player portrait
Full name Austin Sean Healey
Nickname The Leicester Lip
Born October 26, 1973, Wallasey
Current age 50 years 145 days
Major teams British and Irish Lions, Leicester Tigers, England
Position Utility back
Height 5 ft 10 in
Weight 191 lb

Test career
Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All Tests 1997-2003 53 37 16 75 15 0 0 0 35 16 2 67.92
England 1997-2003 51 37 14 75 15 0 0 0 34 15 2 68.62
British and Irish Lions 1997-1997 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 50
Five/Six Nations 1997-2002 21 17 4 55 11 0 0 0 17 4 0 80.95
IRB Rugby World Cup 1999-1999 5 4 1 10 2 0 0 0 3 2 0 60

Career statistics
Test debut Ireland v England at Lansdowne Road, Feb 15, 1997 match details
Last Test France v England at Marseille, Aug 30, 2003 match details
Test Statsguru Main menu | Career summary | Match list | Most points | Most tries | Tournament list

English Premiership
Team Span Mat Start Sub Pts Tries Conv Pens Drop Won Lost Draw %
All matches 1997-2006 148 127 21 206 38 2 0 4 106 33 9 74.66
Leicester Tigers 1997-2006 148 127 21 206 38 2 0 4 106 33 9 74.66
Profile

Austin Healey, also known as the Leicester Lip, was a hugely versatile player, gaining international caps for England at scrum-half, fly-half and wing.

Healey began his career with Orrell and Waterloo at wing or outside centre before switching to scrum-half when he signed for Leicester Tigers in 1996. It was this admirable versatility that proved to be Healey's greatest success and disadvantage in the game leading to him often, unfairly, being labelled as a "jack of all trades, master of none".

In reality Healey was at times a fiercely intelligent scrum-half, full of snap and niggle and always aware of the chance for a sniping break. On the wing, his pace and tactical awareness allowed him opportunities at club and international level following the arrival of Fijian Waisale Serevi at Leicester. His desire to play at fly-half was granted at Leicester at the expense of Andy Goode, but Healey never reached the heights expected of him in the position. Indeed, he only won a single England cap at 10.

Healey was an often outspoken member of the rugby fraternity, having spats with coaches Graham Henry, Andy Robinson and Pat Howard during his eventful career.

He received his full England debut against Ireland in the 1997 Five Nations, and went on to amass 51 England caps. During his career he was a Lions tourist in 1997 on the victorious tour of South Africa and again in 2001 during the series loss to Australia. His only Test caps came as a replacement in the second and third Tests in 1997.

Healey's finest moments on a rugby pitch came in the green and red of Leicester however. In the 2001 an 2002 Heineken Cup finals Healey was instrumental in bringing the silverware to Welford Road. He provided the break that led to the winning score against Stade Francais in 2001, and he scored the decisive try himself against Munster in 2002.

Following the high of the 2002 Heineken Cup win, it was back down to earth when Healey was left out of England's World Cup-winning squad in 2003. This event would gnaw at Healey to the end of his career, and he never played for England again following the World Cup warm-up with France in August 2003.

His retirement came at the end of the 2005-06 season following several damaging injuries. Healey then worked for Credit Suisse and served as an analyst for the BBC and Sky. In 2008 Healey took part in the sixth series of Strictly Come Dancing, following in the footsteps of Matt Dawson and Kenny Logan. In 2010, Healey was confirmed as ESPN's lead analyst prior to the UK channel's first season of Aviva Premiership rugby.

Latest Articles
Healey: 'The ball should be luminous pink' (Apr 11, 2014) England urged to bring Cipriani in from the cold (Apr 10, 2014) 'Bigmouth' Austin Healey upsets the Welsh ... again (Jul 3, 2013) 'I didn't actually write that newspaper column' (May 23, 2013) Most influential British & Irish Lions of all time named (Sep 21, 2012) Austin Healey news and articles (36) »
Latest Photos
Aug 9, 2013
BT Sport rugby presenter Craig Doyle and analysts Austin Healey and Lawrence Dallaglio
BT Sport rugby presenter Craig Doyle and analysts Austin Healey and Lawrence Dallaglio
©  Getty Images
Jul 30, 2011
Austin Healey is on the guest list for the wedding of Mike Tindall and Zara Philips
Austin Healey is on the guest list for the wedding of Mike Tindall and Zara Philips
©  Getty Images
May 10, 2011
ESPN commentators Austin Healey and Ben Kay present Dream Team skipper Tom Hayes with his award
ESPN commentators Austin Healey and Ben Kay present Dream Team skipper Tom Hayes with his award
©  Getty Images
Oct 31, 2010
Ben Kay, Austin Healey, Peter Richards and Mark Durden-Smith get in the Halloween spirit
Ben Kay, Austin Healey, Peter Richards and Mark Durden-Smith get in the Halloween spirit
©  Getty Images
Austin Healey rugby photos (18) »

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