Ben Healy to join Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle, Munster sign Irish-qualified New Zealand scrum-half

ROG REUNION: Out half Ben Healy is set for a move from Edinburgh to La Rochelle. Pic: Ryan Byrne, Inpho

HE didn't manage to lure Jack Crowley to La Rochelle, but Ronan O'Gara has succeeded in bringing former Munster ten Ben Healy to the Top 14 for next season.

The Nenagh, Co Tipperary man left Munster for Edinburgh two years ago to pursue an international career with Scotland, and a move to France won't preclude him from continuing his international career. 

Healy qualifies for the Scots via his grandparents and has ten caps for Gregor Townsend's side after making his debut against Italy in the 2023 Six Nations.

O'Gara is an admirer of Healy's prodigious boot and with La Rochelle he will vie with up and comer, Diego Jurd and one of either Antoine Hastoy or Ihaia West for the ten jersey. The French outfit are yet to confirm the move for Healy.

Edinburgh head coach Sean Everitt confirmed Tuesday: "Ben Healy's contract is up at the end of the season. We also told Ben that his contract wasn't going to be renewed. Obviously there will be interest in a guy like that with the skill set that he has."

Healy has been unseated by Ross Thompson from Glasgow Warriors and the emergence of Academy talent Cammy Scott. While he made 18 appearances last season, only four were as a starter and Healy has only featured three times this campaign, and not in the number 10 jersey since Edinburgh lost to Munster.

Everitt added: "If it is La Rochelle, that's fantastic. It's a great club, and I'm sure that he would have a bond with Ronan O'Gara, who is an ex-Munster man, and that's where Ben played. We wish Ben all the best in his pursuit for his next career.

"I think Ben had a great season in his first year. He went to the World Cup and struggled with a bit of niggles and injuries, and that happens in sport. He wasn't able to find the same form that he had in his first year."

Meanwhile, Munster have signed Irish-qualified New Zealand U20 international scrum-half Ben O'Donovan from Canterbury on an 18-month deal. The 21-year-old lined out at the 2024 U20s World Championship having come up through the ranks at Linwood Rugby Club in Christchurch. Munster confirmed that O'Donovan is Irish qualified.

Last week, Munster announced the signing of three-cap South African hooker Marnus van der Merwe on a two-year deal from the Scarlets. 

"I think Marnus is a quality operator," said Munster forwards coach Alex Codling.

"You've seen that obviously with the Springboks. He's very, very good at set-piece, both around the line-out and the scrum.

"He's actually the top tackler in the URC. I think he offers a multitude of threats. We're delighted to have him on board and I think he'll be a big positive addition to the group."

Codling added that as a coach, he does have an input into the recruitment process.

"You have to look at it in the short, medium and long term," he said.

"Short term in terms of his possible injuries coming up before the end of the season.

"We would have the opportunity to have our input. I think that's really important, both as a coaching group, as a club, making sure we bring the right people in, both in terms of people off the field, but also what they can bring on the field."