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'I could see him being a success wherever he ends up' - Paterson's praise for Glasgow target Ben Healy
Chris Paterson says he is a big fan of Ben Healy, the young Munster out-half on Glasgow Warriors’ radar. Healy has delivered a number of impressive performances for Munster in recent months but is out of contract at the end of the season, and with all contract talks in Ireland currently on hold there is concern that one of the country’s most promising young players cured be lured away.
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The 21-year-old is Scottish-qualified and has become a target for Glasgow, who recently confirmed that out-half Adam Hastings is joining Gloucester.
And Paterson, who started his career at 10 and won over 100 caps for Scotland, says he believes Healy has all the tools necessary to become a top-class out-half.
“Yeah I’ve seen a lot of him and I’ve been really impressed with him,” Paterson said.
“I’ve seen him play for the U20s over the last couple of years as well. There are a lot of good young 10s in Ireland, over the last two or three years with the U20s there’s been about three 10s [who have impressed]. There’s a depth of quality there.
“I think they were all quite similar but this season Ben Healy has probably overtaken them, and certainly Harry Byrne has had a lot of success for Leinster as well.
“It almost looks like there is this young crop of 10s driving each other on, and I’ve been really impressed with Ben Healy in terms of his physicality. He’s a big lad. He takes the ball to the line, he kicks well, he organises a game well, he looks unfazed.
“We’ve seen his goal-kicking, and I do love the fact that, for use of a better phrase, he just puts the ball down and kicks it. I love that approach to goal-kicking. He’s obviously got his process and his routine, but it is just: bang, down and kick it. And such a pure strike. It sometimes brings a smile to my face when you see some of the other routines that are a wee bit longer. He just bangs it over.
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“But he’s dealt with the pressure well. JJ Hanrahan played really well at the weekend for Munster, so he’s got a fight on his hands there.
“I read he’s Scottish qualified as well. But yeah, as a fan looking, and a former 10 and somebody who works with young players, I’ve been impressed by him.”
Healy is still a member of the Munster Academy and is not on a senior contract, but has played seven times for the first team this season, including starts against Edinburgh, Cardiff Blues and Glasgow.
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And Paterson believes his career would continue in the right trajectory if he did make the move to Scotland.
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“It’s what is right for the individual, where they can develop, where they feel they want to go. What is right for them personally?” Paterson added.
“I think he would develop well in Scotland as well [as if he stayed at Munster]. I think he’s got the raw materials, wherever he ends up he playing rugby, to be an influential player.
“Almost every game he’s played in, he’s had an influence on it. For a young player, [looking at] consistency, young players can have that impact in a game or another game and then maybe not so much for a week. But every game he has started, he’s had an impact.
“I remember watching a game at the start of the season against Cardiff, and the way Munster played that day was different to how they played maybe in other games, and he was controlling all of that.
“So I could see him being a success wherever he ends up. A really good young talent.”
Chris Paterson will be part of the Premier Sports team for coverage of the 1872 Cup clash between Edinburgh and Glasgow on Jan 2.
Comments on RugbyPass
Beautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to comments