IT IS perhaps no surprise to see a Worcester Warriors’ full back receiving plenty of praise this season, with words such as “outstanding” and “exceptional” used to describe his performances.
Director of rugby Dean Ryan is well versed at heaping praise on Chris Pennell whose excellent displays last season ended with an England cap this summer.
But this time it is not the 27-year-old, who is bringing a smile to Ryan’s face, instead it is rising star Ben Howard, who is shining in the number 15 jersey.
With Pennell rested, the 21-year-old has been thrust into the limelight and, on the basis of his last two performances, he appears to be relishing it.
Howard, who graduated from the club’s academy last season, set up two tries, made several breaks and even produced a try-saving tackle at Doncaster, which delighted the Warriors boss.
“I thought Ben was exceptional again,” Ryan said. “He is taking his chances really well and looks very mature and composed at the back.
“Lads like him and Max (Stelling) just seem to have something extra at this level.”
Ryan said Howard was also a “different person” to the one, who struggled to follow up his 16 first-team appearances, which he gained during the 2012/13 season.
The back was not helped by the consistency of Pennell, who played every minute of Warriors’ Aviva Premiership campaign, but Ryan insisted Howard was not producing the performances to earn a place in his side last season.
“I think he got too many chances the year before he was ready which creates an expectation around as he is saying ‘I should be getting more games’ and not actually performing at a level to warrant more,” Ryan said.
“He had chances last year and didn’t take them so this is not a place where we just throw them out there. You have to take your opportunities or else you start to look at other combinations to compensate for Chris not being here.
“I think he has learned from that as he is now more confident in his game and what he brings, so I am really pleased for him. I thought he was great in pre-season and I thought he has been one of the bright lights in the last two weeks.”
Meanwhile, Ryan said he “would not rush back” Pennell as he looks to get the full back in prime condition before he returns to action.
“I did not think Chris was fit for Bristol and I don’t think we got that right as a group,” he added. “But that’s where he needed to be more transparent and he has to learn from that.
“Chris is one of our marquee players for so many reasons, but he needs to be right because he has got a big challenge of making sure he is in the EPS squad.”