Glasgow interested in Munster’s Ben Healy

The form of Kilruane’s Ben Healy for Munster this season hasn’t gone unnoticed as fellow PRO14 side Glasgow Warriors have made an approach for promising out-half.

By Shane Brophy

The 21-year-old has impressed in the number 10 shirt for Johann van Graan’s side recently but is out of contract next summer.

The IRFU and the Irish provinces are still not entering any contract negotiations with players, with the union’s performance director David Nucifora on Monday citing the financial uncertainty as the reason for the hold-up, with a pause on any contract negotiations set to extend into January at least.

Healy is Scottish-qualified through his family and is therefore of interest to Glasgow, who have offered him a senior deal that would naturally involve a big financial leap from his current academy contract. Healy played for Ireland up to U20 level but remains Scottish-qualified and has now been presented with a strong offer by Glasgow, with the lure of possible Test rugby with Scotland.

It means Ben Healy faces a big decision just as his Munster career begins to pick up speed. With Tyler Bleyendaal forced to retire and Joey Carbery still out with a long-term injury, Ben Healy has taken his chance this season featuring in all seven PRO14 games so far, starting three and contributing 57 points from the boot.

He came off the bench to replace starting fly-half JJ Hanrahan in Munster's opening Pro14 fixture away to Scarlets in October, scoring ten points, including the conversion of Kevin O'Byrne's 77th minute try to level the scores before scoring a 50-metre penalty in the 81st minute to earn victory. One week later, Healy started for Munster against Edinburgh, converting six of his seven penalties and converting CJ Stander's try to earn a 25–23 win.

Healy will be vying with JJ Hanrahan to start in the upcoming Heineken Champions Cup games at home to Harlequins on Sunday 13th December and away to Clermont Auvergne the following Saturday.