MUNSTER HEAD COACH Graham Rowntree had admitted they face a battle to hold on to out-half Ben Healy with Gregor Townsend renewing his efforts to bring him to Scotland.
The 23-year-old Tipperary native qualifies to play for Scotland through his mother and two years ago turned down a couple of enhanced offers to move to Glasgow Warriors as he wanted to pursue his Munster career, but Scottish head coach Townsend has been keeping an eye on him.
Healy went on to play 17 times for Munster that season when the Scottish interest came to light, winning the academy player of the year award in the process. Last season he chalked up another 20 games, 10 of them starts.
However, this term he has slipped behind Jack Crowley in the pecking order and has only featured in six of their 13 matchday squads.
Healy, who has not played for Munster since the 28-14 win over a South Africa XV at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on 10 November, only signed a one-year contract extension last January as he kept his options open.
Rowntree has admitted that it remains to be seen if the Kilruane native, who came through Nenagh Ormond and Glenstal Abbey who he skippered to their first Munster schools crown in 2018, will be a Munster player next season.
“He’s been vital for us for the last couple of years,” said Rowntree. “Good to have around, tremendous attitude. His future is uncertain, I’m not going to lie.
“And yes, he has had interest from over the water last year and the year before, so we will see how that pans out.”
A more immediate battle for Rowntree and Munster is a trip to Belfast on New Year’s Day and having lost four out of their five Irish derbies this season, he knows they need to get a result.
International restrictions mean they have to rest their Irish players in the coming weeks having gone fully loaded in Europe and against Leinster, with Crowley likely to take over from Joey Carbery, who can only play in two of the next four games, at out-half.
“We are not going to deny we have to rest the internationals,” added Rowntree. “They can play seven from nine games in this block. So, no, we are not going to disguise the fact we are going to rotate the squad over the next couple of weeks, but we have got strong depth there at No.10. So, yeah, potentially there will be some changes.
“That’s the nature of the beast, it will test our squad and what we have found this season is young men coming through have not let us down.”
Jean Kleyn has not yet been ruled out and his availability would be a huge boost given the injury crisis Munster have in the second row, but Rowntree said that when they had to dig deep into the squad earlier in the season, the young players made the most of the opportunity.
“We’re looking for greater depth, but when I think of backs then I think of the likes of Pa Campbell coming through and no-one had heard of Ruadhán Quinn before the start of the season, and Edwin (Edogbo) of course in the second row, no-one had heard of him before the start of this season.
“You want great depth in every position but I want to bring through young Munster talent, local talent, as soon as I can,” added Rowntree.
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Originally published at 0700
