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Ben Healy pays price for 'directionless' Edinburgh display
By Bryn Palmer
Edinburgh fly-half Ben Healy has paid the price for their “directionless” display in last week’s URC mauling by the Lions and been cut from the match-day squad against the Stormers on Saturday.
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The Scotland international, who started the last two Tests of their summer tour against Chile and Uruguay, will instead be dispatched to play for Edinburgh’s A team against Bath United the same day in a bid to rediscover some form.
It is quite a comedown for the former Munster man, who started 23 of Edinburgh’s 24 games last season, playing all but 20 minutes of their 18 URC games, and was the league’s top points-scorer with 175 in his first season in the Scottish capital.
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But the arrival of fellow Scotland cap Ross Thompson from rivals Glasgow this summer saw Healy restricted to a bench role in their opening two URC matches against Leinster and Bulls.
The 25-year-old was handed a start against the Lions in Johannesburg, but such was the poverty of Edinburgh’s attack and general game management – they were 48-0 down by half-time before losing 55-21 – that Thompson has been swiftly recalled, with utility back Cammy Scott coming into the match-day 23.
Head coach Sean Everitt has demoted both his half-backs among six changes, with co-captain Ben Vellacott dropped to the bench and Ali Price starting at scrum-half.
“We just felt that we were a bit directionless on attack,” Everitt said, explaining the change at 10. “We know that Ben has got a good skill-set and he’s led the team well.
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“We just feel that Ross has obviously done a good job for us, and instead of Ben sitting on the bench behind Ross this weekend, we thought we’d send him down to Bath to play for the A team and get some more game time. Players that are in spinal positions within the team need to play.
“Cammy Scott has done well in the A team over the last two weeks, so it’s good that he gets an opportunity on the bench. At the same time Ben Healy can get a good 80 minutes under the belt against Bath.”
Asked what the message had been to Thompson and Price this week as Edinburgh seek to kick-start their season after three straight losses, Everitt said: “It’s just about giving the team direction on attack and bringing experience as far as game management is concerned.
“We’re facing a similar defence system as we did against Leinster and I thought those two did really well against Leinster, so it makes sense that we return to those two players against a team like the Stormers.”
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Elsewhere, Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe returns on the left wing in place of Ross McCann after missing the Lions match with a tight calf.
Back-rower Ben Muncaster starts at openside for the first time, in place of the rested Hamish Watson, while hooker Patrick Harrison is handed only his third senior start for the club, with Ewan Ashman sidelined after a head knock against the Lions.
Converted hooker Harri Morris, who made his debut as a back-rower in 2021, could make only his second senior appearance as a replacement.
Lock Jamie Hodgson also gets a first start of the season – taking over from Marshall Sykes – alongside captain Grant Gilchrist in the second row, with Scotland back-rower Luke Crosbie poised to make his return from injury from the bench.
Scotland full-back Harry Paterson, fit again after cutting his heel on the door of a sauna in pre-season, and tighthead prop Javan Sebastian, who had a quad injury, will both make their comebacks for Edinburgh’s A team against Bath’s second string.
Edinburgh team v Stormers:
15. Wes Goosen
14. Darcy Graham
13. Mosese Tuipulotu
12. Matt Scott
11. Duhan van der Merwe
10. Ross Thompson
9. Ali Price
1. Pierre Schoeman
2. Patrick Harrison
3. Paul Hill
4. Jamie Hodgson
5. Grant Gilchrist (captain)
6. Jamie Ritchie
7. Ben Muncaster
8. Magnus Bradbury
REPLACEMENTS:
16. Harri Morris
17. Boan Venter
18. D’arcy Rae
19. Marshall Sykes
20. Luke Crosbie
21. Ben Vellacott
22. Cammy Scott
23. Matt Currie
Ireland should never have let Ben Healy go. A move to Ulster would have been my preference, as he was clearly not going to get the game time he needed there. This could be a tough season for him, in an Edinburgh team that have started the season in poor form.
Id there is such a thing as a must win on match day 4 then this is it. Good call replacing the half backs. It did look to me in Johannesburg that Edinburgh were fatigued amplified by the altitude.