Ben Morgan, future shed legend?

Friday 6 April 2012

This season Gloucester's young owner Ryan Walkinshaw has thrown his support behind Bryan Redpath giving him license to go out and bring the very best to Kingsholm. It started with Billy Twelvetrees signing, a huge statement of intent, followed by Wallabies hooker Huia Edmonds and Tongan backrow Sione Kalamafoni. Joining Kalamafoni in the backrow will be Ben Morgan, who is rapidly developing into a household name but what will he bring to the Cherry and Whites?

The young number eight has made a huge impact on the International stage, having developed at the Scarlet's in the Celtic league. As his reputation increased so did the debate on who he would represent, England or Wales. It must have been a tough decision, though born in England his rugby aspirations were realised in Wales after a stint with Cinderford he was released to join Merthyr, spending some time with Cardiff Blues in between. It was at Merthyr were the dynamic eight started to show some signs of his potential and was picked up by the Scarlets, who put Ben on a punishing training regime to get him to shape. Including wearing a snorkel on a treadmill!!

It wasn't until the Six Nations that most shed head's got a good look at the 23 year old and from that moment on the clamor to secure his signature got louder, turning into excitement when it was finally confirmed. Gloucester beat many other clubs in a hotly contested race and a big reason for that will have been the fee to buy him out of his remaining year with the Scarlets. Luke Narraway's departure means Morgan will be close to guaranteed a starting slot alongside Akapusi Qera and Sione Kalamafoni in what will be a hard hitting backrow. The Scarlet's style isn't altogether dissimilar from Gloucester's either.

What Gloucester really need is someone to draw in defenders and create space for what will be a punishing backline next season. Luckily for Gloucester that is exactly what we have seen from Morgan in this year's Six Nations, and if he can do it at test level, he can do it in the Premiership. Two clean line breaks in two games, one of which led directly to a try, shows what a dangerous broken field runner he is. Although the Premiership can sometimes be a gritty physical affair; there is nothing to suggest he won't excel here as well. His runs from the base of the ruck and particularly from defensive scrums gain valuable yards and he is just as comfortable being used as a strike runner in the midfield.

He's not a bludgeon though, far from it, after watching the intelligent play of Luke Narraway, Gloucester fans will be happy with Morgan. During his man of the match display against Ireland in the 6 Nations Morgan showed the presence of mind to position himself with a foot in touch as he took the high ball, not once, not twice but three times. Each time pinning Ireland back in their half and giving England the territory. In the long run what will make the biggest impact in the Premiership is his judgment, knowing were his bulk is needed and that's what Gloucester and England will want to see develop; an instinctual reading of the game, knowing whether he's needed out wide or in the tight.

Defensively he works very hard and tackles well, though he needs to use his bulk more effectively getting low and driving through. He is the type of player who can spear head a counter ruck making life uncomfortable for the scrum half and ensuring the opposition has to throw plenty of players in to secure the ball. His strength under the high ball needs a lot of work, and one can only hope he will spend hours being drilled under Gary Owens and Up and Unders because that is already a part of Gloucester's game that becomes painfully weak with Olly Morgan absent.

Fitness will be important, Morgan seems to be a sixty minute player at the moment, which is fine most weeks but in a Premiership semifinal you can't afford a player of his influence to go off, unless you have the same quality of player on the bench. Once he gets a head of steam Morgan is close to unstoppable but what will really make the difference is his acceleration, the quicker he is over the first 30 meters the more effective he will be. Small points of concern though because over the next three years Morgan looks like he can enjoy the full roar of the Shed behind him.

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