Rugby: West Cork rising star Jack Crowley gets the nod over Joey Carbery

Thu, 19 Jan, 2023 - 11:03

Dylan O’ Connell

IRELAND coach Andy Farrell has named West Cork’s Jack Crowley in his Six Nations squad instead of Munster’s Joey Carbery.

The fly-half from Innishannon is available for selection alongside captain Johnny Sexton and Leinster’s Ross Byrne. This was the biggest shock of the team’s announcement as Carbery has 37 Ireland caps and has scored 164 points for his country.

Crowley’s call-up comes just two months after he made his senior Ireland debut as a replacement against Fiji at the Aviva Stadium. He came on for Carbery in the second half and scored two conversions during Ireland's 35–17 win.

Australia’s visit to Dublin last November saw Carbery make his first senior start after Sexton pulled up injured in the warm-up. The out-half didn’t put a foot wrong as he kicked over a penalty and a conversion during a 13-10 win for Ireland.

This call-up is another marker in his budding career as one of the most promising placekickers in world rugby.

Crowley first made his name known by kicking Bandon Grammar School into the semi-finals of the Munster Senior Cup for the first time back in 2017. He repeated this achievement in 2019, but he lost to Presentation Brothers College on both occasions.

The fly-half made is mark nationally and internally by helping Ireland’s U20s win the Triple Crown at the 2020 Six Nations Championship.

Crowley hit the ground running in that campaign by scoring 18 points against Scotland, a tally that includes a solo try from his own 22.

He made his senior Munster debut on January 2nd 2021 by replacing fellow fly-half Ben Healy in the 65th minute against Ulster at Ravenhill. He came on and converted a late Darren Sweetnam try to make sure that Munster left with a losing bonus point.

Cork will also be represented in the squad by Irish stalwart Peter O’Mahony, who has 89 senior caps, and in-form Gavin Coombes.