Time for a bit of word association. I say a word or phrase, and you say the first word that comes into your head. Ready….. ‘Austin Healey’.

‘Arrogant, cocky, obnoxious, irritating, gobby’. I think these, and many other similar ones, are the words that would leap into many people’s minds. This is the man about whom a senior Tigers’ player is supposed to have said ‘He's a little shit, but he's our little shit’. However, stranded at an airport, Oz’s autobiography, “Me and My Mouth”, suddenly seemed an attractive read.

It’s a really good book, far more than the run-of-the-mill sporting autobiography, hilarious in places, moving in others, and he comes over as a much more complex character than you might expect. He also lifts the lid on the day-to-day life of a professional rugby player and, if the Tigers are typical, shows them to be far more than the one-dimensional, pasta-devouring, weight-training robots one sometimes fears they might be. Some of the Tigers’ team-building activities really make me wince.

So what makes Healey tick then? Much of it seems to be a ferocious competitiveness- he wants to be the best and nothing else is good enough. Rivals for ‘his’ shirt, and it’s quite clear that that’s how he sees it, are tolerated only with great difficulty and he struggles always with the conflict between not wishing serious injury on a fellow player, and the recognition that that would open up opportunity for him. His competitiveness and commitment are reflected in his turning down a substantial insurance settlement and paying for his own treatment in an effort to come back from his career-threatening knee injury and fight again for his England place (I could do without his pen picture of Charlie Hodgson wearing only a pair of tights though). Playing through injury or while not fully fit are recurrent themes, and I didn’t realise how much this happens. I think I’ll be more understanding of below-par performances in future.

Healey’s public face, the arrogance, the mouthiness, are all part of the package, and he has clearly realised where they come from. It’s all about convincing himself he is invincible, that he is the best at what he does, building himself up and keeping himself above his competitors. It’s less ego and more insecurity. He wants recognition and, where he feels he’s not getting it, there is conflict, whether with Pat Howard or Andy Robinson, or a fairly long list of others. But this is only one facet of a complex person. He is obviously a dedicated family man and even, in his own unconventional way, a loyal team mate.

There is a bittersweet flavour in places, particularly in the latter part of his story. Injuries are becoming a problem and he struggles more and more to reassure himself he is still the best at what he does. Coming to terms with declining performances takes him towards some dark places and he is very open and honest about these times. The way he has dealt with them is perhaps an example to others.

Where does this leave me? Well, with a great deal more respect for Mr Healey than I had. The book seems very honest although I have no doubt that the likes of Andy Robinson or Pat Howard would have their own versions of events. You sometimes get the impression that, even in the book, he’s still sniping at people- the idea that Jonno isn’t actually that good at punching people is surreal. But, overall, it’s an easy read, well worth the effort and I certainly don’t begrudge Oz his share of the £ 7.99 it cost me.

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