Trophy win will stand to Munster's young core, insists departing Healy
JOY AND RELIEF: Munster's Ben Healy celebrates with Mike Haley. Pic: ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Ben Healy will pack his bags for a new life in Scotland confident that his fellow Munster young guns can thrive now the pressure to land silverware has finally been lifted.
Saturday’s appearance off the bench was the fly-half’s 56th and final appearance for his home province before a summer move to Edinburgh and the continuation of fledgling Test career he hopes will see him to taken to this year’s World Cup by Scottish boss Gregor Townsend.
To be able to say farewell with a BKT URC winner’s medal around his neck following Munster’s epic 19-14 victory over defending champions the Stormers at their DHL Stadium is the icing on the cake for the playmaker who turns 24 next month.
Healy recognised the significance for all of his generation of players to have delivered a first trophy since 2011.
Healy said he had felt the weight of expectation on his shoulders from the minute he signed for Munster as a teenager fresh out of Glenstal Abbey.
"It's not so much a burden, it's been in the background,” he said on Saturday night. “Since I've come into the club, I've always felt it to be honest.
"It's not really spoken about, but a club like Munster you expect to win both trophies every year no matter what the outside image of Munster is or how good they are.
"Within the club, honestly, every time you come in you’re genuinely expecting to win both trophies.
"The fact that it hadn't happened in so long, since I've come into the club it's been at the back of my mind. Same for a lot of the young lads.
"There's guys in here who've put their bodies on the line for 10 plus years without winning anything and I know it's cringey, what everyone's thinking, but that's what it is; they've put their bodies on the line for this club, sacrificed so much for this club. To finally give something to them, I'm delighted."
That the young twentysomethings such as John Hodnett, Alex Kendellen, Gavin Coombes, Shane Daly, Calvin Nash, Craig Casey and fellow fly-half Jack Crowley had such a meaningful involvement in the outcome of Saturday’s Grand Final added even more significance for Healy.
"It means a lot; every player, you need to have coaches that have faith in you. Particularly at a young age, it gives you confidence and you need to be able to get a bit of a break.
"Nobody's perfect, you need to have coaches who will stick with you when you've made a mistake; when things go wrong. To be fair to the coaches, they have. The number of young lads on the pitch out there, a number of us have been all the way up along together.
"I played with Craig since I was 15, he's been my half-back partner... we're incredibly tight as a group.
"It's great for young lads. Pete (O’Mahony) said it there in the huddle; it's so good to win something so young because you get a taste for it, it's a habit and he hit the nail on the head.
"I'm delighted for the young lads, but it's hard not to say it about Earlsie, Pete, Archie and Murray; they've been through stuff with Munster that none of us have experienced.
"I know it's cringey, honestly I'm genuinely delighted for those guys."
That taste of victory is not something Healy intends leaving behind when he makes his move but it was some to finish up with Munster.
"I'm absolutely delighted, yeah. It is important to win when you're young because it is a habit.
"It will serve those young lads in there so well too. I'm delighted to finish up with my home province this way, with a gold medal around my back… It's going to be some few days."
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