JAMIE BENSON CAME to these shores with the ambition of playing for Ireland, but even in his most optimistic and confident state, he surely couldn’t have imagined that he would be called up by Andy Farrell at the first opportunity.
Injuries have opened the door much sooner than expected.
With Munster’s Jack Crowley sidelined with his vascular injury and Leinster’s Harry Byrne out of action due to concussion, Ulster’s Benson has got the nod as the third Irish out-half option alongside Sam Prendergast and Ciarán Frawley.
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Benson has only played four games for Ulster so far, with two starts at inside centre, one at outside centre, and one outing at out-half last weekend against Zebre in the Challenge Cup.
He is primarily an out-half, but his ability to play in midfield and at fullback made him an even more interesting proposition for Ulster and the IRFU. It’s thought there was interest in Benson from elsewhere in Ireland but his mother hails from Belfast, so the Ulster connection was strong.
Benson grew up aiming to play for his native England and did so at underage levels, including for their U20s in 2022, when he started at number 10 against an Irish side including James McNabney, the only other uncapped player in Farrell’s latest Ireland squad.
Benson had marked himself out as a talented playmaker, but it would be three seasons later when he finally made a Premiership debut for Harlequins, who had identified him as a prospect early on.
He featured for Quins in the Prem Rugby Cup occasionally in the two seasons that followed his U20 caps, but also had spells with London Scottish and Cambridge RFC in the Championship.
Cambridge being on his rugby CV is a hint at Benson’s other life, an academic one. Even when he was playing for the England U20s, he had already put a major focus on his studies at the University of Cambridge, where he went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences, specialising in Neuroscience. He achieved a first-class mark for his research project.
Benson has been published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, which carried his work entitled ‘Effects of Rugby Training Exposure on Knee-Jerk Reflex Magnitude’ earlier this year.
Benson played rugby for the University of Cambridge and Cambridge RFC, but his pursuit of professional rugby was essentially put on hold until 2024, when he finished university and went full-time with Harlequins.
2024/25 was Benson’s first season putting all his eggs in the rugby basket, and it went well for him as he got his Premiership and Champions Cup debuts.
Benson then enjoyed a strong 2025/26 campaign that involved nine Premiership starts, with three of those at inside centre and six at fullback. There were also five starts at out-half in the Prem Rugby Cup.
In all likelihood, Benson would have played more rugby at out-half for Harlequins were it not for England international Marcus Smith being the club’s main man.
The more experienced Welsh international Jarrod Evans was also largely preferred to Benson at out-half from 2023 through until last summer, when he also left to join Cardiff.
Still, Benson’s potential seemed clear and he was included in an England A squad in November 2025 ahead of games against New Zealand XV and Spain, but he wasn’t selected for either of those matches, meaning he wasn’t ‘captured’ by England.
Benson remained eligible for Ireland and with his Quins contract expiring at the end of last season, all options were considered. Irish rugby was interested, he had a genuine link to Ulster through his mother, and Smith was still the big dog in Quins.
Ireland boss Farrell liked what he had seen of Benson, who was involved in an Irish training camp last summer ahead of the main squad departing for their Nations Championship tour. This was before he had even started pre-season with Ulster.
Benson’s four games for the province this season have backed up Ulster’s happiness at landing him. His first two starts came at inside centre where he combined crisp passing and good off-the-ball movement with fiery work in contact on both sides of the ball.
He was then at outside centre for Ulster’s draw with Munster before his first start at out-half away to Zebre in the Challenge Cup last time out.
Benson isn’t a giant at around 6ft and 93kg, but he brings intent to his contact work and is quick, which means his game is not just about his smart distribution and clever touches with the boot. He is also a good goal-kicker.
It remains to be seen whether Farrell believes Benson is ready for a Test debut next month, with the second game of Ireland’s November schedule against Fiji looking like the most realistic chance of involvement.
Crowley and Byrne’s injury issues have created an opportunity, and Benson will look to grab it with both hands.
Jamie Benson, the Irish-qualified neuroscientist who caught Farrell's eye
JAMIE BENSON CAME to these shores with the ambition of playing for Ireland, but even in his most optimistic and confident state, he surely couldn’t have imagined that he would be called up by Andy Farrell at the first opportunity.
Injuries have opened the door much sooner than expected.
With Munster’s Jack Crowley sidelined with his vascular injury and Leinster’s Harry Byrne out of action due to concussion, Ulster’s Benson has got the nod as the third Irish out-half option alongside Sam Prendergast and Ciarán Frawley.
Benson has only played four games for Ulster so far, with two starts at inside centre, one at outside centre, and one outing at out-half last weekend against Zebre in the Challenge Cup.
He is primarily an out-half, but his ability to play in midfield and at fullback made him an even more interesting proposition for Ulster and the IRFU. It’s thought there was interest in Benson from elsewhere in Ireland but his mother hails from Belfast, so the Ulster connection was strong.
Benson grew up aiming to play for his native England and did so at underage levels, including for their U20s in 2022, when he started at number 10 against an Irish side including James McNabney, the only other uncapped player in Farrell’s latest Ireland squad.
Benson had marked himself out as a talented playmaker, but it would be three seasons later when he finally made a Premiership debut for Harlequins, who had identified him as a prospect early on.
He featured for Quins in the Prem Rugby Cup occasionally in the two seasons that followed his U20 caps, but also had spells with London Scottish and Cambridge RFC in the Championship.
Cambridge being on his rugby CV is a hint at Benson’s other life, an academic one. Even when he was playing for the England U20s, he had already put a major focus on his studies at the University of Cambridge, where he went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Natural Sciences, specialising in Neuroscience. He achieved a first-class mark for his research project.
Benson has been published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, which carried his work entitled ‘Effects of Rugby Training Exposure on Knee-Jerk Reflex Magnitude’ earlier this year.
Benson played rugby for the University of Cambridge and Cambridge RFC, but his pursuit of professional rugby was essentially put on hold until 2024, when he finished university and went full-time with Harlequins.
2024/25 was Benson’s first season putting all his eggs in the rugby basket, and it went well for him as he got his Premiership and Champions Cup debuts.
Benson then enjoyed a strong 2025/26 campaign that involved nine Premiership starts, with three of those at inside centre and six at fullback. There were also five starts at out-half in the Prem Rugby Cup.
In all likelihood, Benson would have played more rugby at out-half for Harlequins were it not for England international Marcus Smith being the club’s main man.
The more experienced Welsh international Jarrod Evans was also largely preferred to Benson at out-half from 2023 through until last summer, when he also left to join Cardiff.
Still, Benson’s potential seemed clear and he was included in an England A squad in November 2025 ahead of games against New Zealand XV and Spain, but he wasn’t selected for either of those matches, meaning he wasn’t ‘captured’ by England.
Benson remained eligible for Ireland and with his Quins contract expiring at the end of last season, all options were considered. Irish rugby was interested, he had a genuine link to Ulster through his mother, and Smith was still the big dog in Quins.
Ireland boss Farrell liked what he had seen of Benson, who was involved in an Irish training camp last summer ahead of the main squad departing for their Nations Championship tour. This was before he had even started pre-season with Ulster.
Benson’s four games for the province this season have backed up Ulster’s happiness at landing him. His first two starts came at inside centre where he combined crisp passing and good off-the-ball movement with fiery work in contact on both sides of the ball.
He was then at outside centre for Ulster’s draw with Munster before his first start at out-half away to Zebre in the Challenge Cup last time out.
Benson isn’t a giant at around 6ft and 93kg, but he brings intent to his contact work and is quick, which means his game is not just about his smart distribution and clever touches with the boot. He is also a good goal-kicker.
It remains to be seen whether Farrell believes Benson is ready for a Test debut next month, with the second game of Ireland’s November schedule against Fiji looking like the most realistic chance of involvement.
Crowley and Byrne’s injury issues have created an opportunity, and Benson will look to grab it with both hands.
IQ Ireland Irish-Qualified Jamie Benson October Rugby