Edinburgh keen to sign Ben Healy from Munster as Mike Blair addresses squad configuration

Edinburgh head coach Mike Blair has confirmed for the first time that he wants to sign Ben Healy, the Scottish-qualified Munster stand-off.
Edinburgh are keen to sign stand-off Ben Healy from Munster.Edinburgh are keen to sign stand-off Ben Healy from Munster.
Edinburgh are keen to sign stand-off Ben Healy from Munster.

“We have an interest in him,” Blair said of the 23-year-old from Tipperary. “We are well aware Ben is out of contract. We think he’s a quality player and realise he is Scottish qualified, so we’re having conversations with lots of people.”

Healy was the target of an offer from Glasgow Warriors a couple of years ago, but opted to fight for his place in the Munster set-up. More recently, however, he has fallen down the pecking order at the Irish province, and, after being capped at under-20 level, has not graduated to the senior Ireland side. He would be eligible to play for Scotland as his mother is from Glasgow, and has been linked with a move to the capital club for a number of weeks.

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While the chance to turn out for Gregor Townsend’s side might be part of the appeal for Healy in making the short hop across the water, his initial role at Edinburgh would almost certainly be that of a back-up to Blair Kinghorn. Blair’s current recruitment plans for next season are based on the presumption that Kinghorn and a number of other senior Edinburgh players will be absent in the autumn on Rugby World Cup duty, and during that time Healy would likely be competing with Charlie Savala for the No 10 jersey.

“You need strength in depth in certain positions,” Blair added. “Your front rows, your 9s, 10s, you need to plan to have some depth. With it being World Cup year it takes more planning. We are aware Ben is available and he is someone who has been spoken to over the last couple of years with an offer from Glasgow.”

It is as yet unclear whether Jaco van der Walt will also be on Edinburgh’s books next season. The South-African-born 28-year-old, a full Scotland international, has made few appearances since Kinghorn was moved from full-back to 10. He signed a new contract for an undisclosed period two years ago.

Meanwhile, hooker Dave Cherry is set to return from injury on Saturday, when Edinburgh will look to end a run of four league defeats on the bounce at home to bottom club Zebre. “This has been a really testing and challenging block – challenging in a positive way,” Blair continued. Things have come out this week that, had we scraped a win, we might not have addressed them. And I believe that for the long-term growth of the group, things that have come out this week have been really important. We’re just looking at a little bit of the detail of what we can get better.”

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