INTEGRAL TO MUNSTER’S brilliant fortnight in South Africa was a man who will depart the province — and Irish rugby altogether — at the end of the season.
The Edinburgh-bound Ben Healy, already capped by Scotland in advance of his move across the water, was named on Munster’s bench ahead of Joey Carbery for both last week’s victory over the Stormers in Cape Town and Saturday’s draw with the Sharks in Durban. The 23-year-old out-half’s influence on both results — which secured Champions Cup qualification for his native province next season — was vindicative of Graham Rowntree’s selection.
So much so, in fact, that The 42′s Murray Kinsella believes Healy should arguably be Munster’s first-choice out-half on current form, a far cry from January when he put pen to paper with Edinburgh following discussions with both Munster and Ireland setups as to his standing with both club and country.
On today’s Rugby Weekly Extra podcast, which is available to The 42 subscribers every Monday and Wednesday, Kinsella, Bernard Jackman and host Gavan Casey discussed Healy’s impending departure — and if, four months on, it should be considered a mistake.
This weeks @The42_ie Rugby extra pod with @GavanCasey and @Murray_Kinsella https://t.co/dRbcshWhTa
— Bernard Jackman (@bernardjackman) April 24, 2023
Gavan Casey: “That’s what it feels like — and yet when you look back to that time, and to the circumstances surrounding his departure, I don’t think it’s fair to frame it as being a mistake by Munster.
“They had three very good out-halves: they’re not going to get rid of Joey Carbery who’s under contract and who, at that time, they felt was in better form than Ben Healy anyway. As was Jack Crowley. And when Healy went to Munster and asked, ‘Where do you see me?’, he was probably told, ‘We see you as third choice.’ And that’s how things were.
“I don’t think there’s anybody to blame for it: Ben Healy has just gotten better at rugby again over the last few months.”
Murray Kinsella: “No, and I wouldn’t change my opinion on it from that time. At the time, my sense was that Crowley has this really high ceiling and, obviously, Carbery, as you say, is in contract. But I can see how people might perceive it as a mistake from the outside; people who maybe weren’t following the story closely at the time now thinking, ‘Wow, this guy’s really good… Why’s he leaving Munster?’
“And he is really good, and he keeps getting better is the thing. That’s why he felt, ‘I gotta go here. I gotta back myself because I’m not being fully backed where I am’ — by Munster and by Ireland as well. He spoke with Andy Farrell and he realised the opportunities weren’t going to be there for him. So, away he goes to Scotland and they’ve got themselves a really good player.
“And it’s so interesting that all the bits were there were maybe question marks around his game — like his ability to pick out passes, his ability to throw those passes or find that attacking space: they’re most of the standout moments in his game now, really, as well as the obvious kicking strengths.
He’s a much more complete player than many of us — and I’ll put myself in that bracket, I’ll put my hand up — presumed he could be.
🗣️ "What a way for Healy to show people that they made a mistake."
— The42.ie (@The42_ie) April 24, 2023
💬 Was letting Ben Healy go a mistake?@Murray_Kinsella says that he's proven a lot of people wrong with his form in recent weeks. 🔴⚫️
Get the full podcast by subscribing to https://t.co/CAooKMr7GH 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/PsVtGlHNlZ
“But he keeps driving it on, so absolutely massive credit to him. He’s been really composed and calm, and clearly really positive since he decided to leave Munster.
It’s not a case of waiting for his move; he wants to leave the biggest imprint he possibly can and he’s doing that to the extent that, honestly, he probably deserves to start the quarter-final when they play against Glasgow. Because Crowley hasn’t been at his best over the last two weeks. He made a lot of errors [v Sharks] in the first half again and Healy’s the form man.
“It would just be a kind of crazy scenario, wouldn’t it? But what a way it would be for Healy to show people that maybe they made a mistake and that he’s going to keep getting better.”
Bernard Jackman: “I think the way it’s played out… No one made any mistakes, really.
“During that chat with Farrell, Crowley was perceived to be better at the time, more rounded. Both of them have a high level of mental strength and character and Jack looked to be more suitable to playing that running game. And Healy still has to prove that.
I think he’s made big strides but I would still pick Jack Crowley over him today if you were looking to build a running game. And probably if I wanted someone to kick a conversion in the last minute or manage a game, I would pick Ben Healy.
“Healy has amazing mental strength to be able to deal with everything that’s happened to him this season. To continue with Munster having signed with someone else and play a key role while leaving; if someone like Dan Biggar did that, you’d still be saying, ‘Wow, fair play.’ But to do it at his age [is even more impressive].
“At the time when he decided to leave, Joey was still very much the number one — or very much close in form to Jack Crowley — and it wasn’t clear that Jack was going to jump past him. Circumstances, the way they’ve fallen, make it look like a poor decision but I don’t think there’s anyone to blame in this. It was just the talent they had at their disposal, Joey was still under contract and still in the Irish squad, and it’s just one of those things…
“But fair play to Ben Healy: I think he’s deserved massive credit for how he’s performed through all of this and best of luck to him. Hopefully he doesn’t cost Irish provinces or Ireland too many wins when he’s playing in different colours.”
