A Tale Of Three Tens

 THIS week's on-going story in Scottish Rugby is of Glasgow's interest in signing young Munster outside half Ben Healy. Apparently Adam Hastings is out of contract in the Summer and set to move-on to destination as yet unclear. (I would put money on a return to Bath, who are looking for a 10 – and that's where he broke through after leaving Millfield).

Healy (pictured below), is apparently a person of interest to the Scotstoun management for two reasons:

 

 

• He should be relatively cheap to acquire

• He is Scotland-qualified

However, if he is signed, and we are still at the: “no comment” stage of any deal being done, it will be yet another boot in the goolies to the SRU's youth development plan – assuming such a plan exists.

Because, there already is, inside the Murrayfield “system,” and indeed aligned to Glasgow Warriors, a stand-off who is a direct contemporary of young Healy.

Step forward Ross Thompson. Ross was born on 10 April, 1999 – Ben Healy on 29 June, 1999. Thompson has played for all the Scotland age group teams, indeed, he was vice-captain of our Under-20 team. While Healy was gaining experience with Garryowen in the All-Ireland League, Thompson was gaining similar experience with Glasgow Hawks in the Premiership.

 

Ross Thompson
 

Of course, the AIL is seen as a key development competition in the Irish game, the Scottish Premiership was viewed from BT Murrayfield “Not fit for purpose;” although, to be fair to The Junta – they have never told us what that purpose was.

Both players were in their respective Academies – Thompson in the Scottish one, Healy in Munster's. However, while Healy benefitted from regular outings with Munster A, not least in the Celtic Cup cross-border games against the Welsh Regional A Teams, Thompson was signed by Ayrshire Bulls in the FOSROC Super6 competition.

He did well too, becoming their regular starting 10, as he learned his trade under the mentoring of Kiwi Frazier Climo. However, Covid put the kybosh on the planned cross-border games with the Welsh Premiership clubs.

Healy has been able to gain experience with Munster, and has now played some ten games for his Province. Thompson, now in his third season aligned to Glasgow, has still to take the field for them. Indeed, he has not seen action since March this year.

However, it is clear, Munster has been more-prepared to give Healy a chance to show what he can do, than Glasgow has Thompson. But, Thompson's experience with Glasgow is not new – going right back over a decade, back to the days of the Celtic League, our two professional sides have, under the dead hand of Murrayfield central management, appeared reluctant to trust young Scottish talent.

This has to stop. Nothing against young Healy, who appears to be a very-promising player, but, a better bet for the future than Ross Thompson – Ah hae ma doots.

There's another intriguing wee twist to the Thompson story, by the way. When S6 starts up, hopefully early in 2021, we must assume Thompson will have the number 10 shirt for the Bulls. However, when the Scotland Under-20 training squad was announced recently, among the names was that of Christian Townsend, whose club was given as – Ayrshire Bulls.

 

 

Now, it might be unfair to put pressure on young Christian, (pictured above), that he might be as good as his illustrious father, Gregor. But, it is to be hoped, having two of the brightest young tens in Scotland vying for the same jersey, might in the long run, be good for Scotland.

Nathan Chamberlain, the guy between Thompson and Townsend in the Under-20's number 10 line of succession, has made a good start at Edinburgh – might it be worth Glasgow's time giving Thompson his shot, rather than, as seems to be Murrayfield's preference when it comes to player recruitment, going down the import route?