Rugby Talking Points: Jack Crowley looks certain to be second choice while Andy Farrell is at the helm
Ireland out-half Jack Crowley came on in the second half against Australia last weekend. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Fresh from dismantling an abject Australia, Andy Farrell’s Ireland know that they must go up several gears on Saturday when they entertain world champions South Africa at the Aviva Stadium.
Here we examine some of the major talking points around the build-up to this seismic clash.
This out-half battle is getting rather boring already, and probably the most annoying part of it is that it is not going to end anytime soon.
It is difficult to conclude anything other than this is a battle that Jack Crowley cannot win while Andy Farrell is Ireland’s head coach.
He wins a Six Nations championship, he gets dropped a few months later.
Sam Prendergast was hugely impressive when Ireland had the ball last Saturday, but it was against the worst Australian side to ever visit these shores. They had no scrum, no lineout, no outhalf and no full-back, and a coach headed for the exit sign.
They were a rabble.
Nonetheless, Prendergast had his best outing in an Irish shirt, albeit there was the usual missed tackles and moments where he visibly shirked opportunities to contest loose balls or rucks.
If this was American football, then he’d be perfect as he could sit it out when the ball is turned over, but in international rugby tackling is not optional.
He has a dozen caps under his belt already and there is little sign that these fatal flaws in his game are showing any signs of being ironed out.
At what stage are they deemed permanent flaws? This simply cannot be ignored, no matter how many times this is flippantly brushed off, while referring to his ‘high ceiling’.
He is effective in a turkey shoot, but he has yet to show that he can dictate terms in a dogfight for either club or country, and his in-form Leinster teammate Harry Byrne looks a better option for Ireland at present.
Crowley is far from perfect, with his kicking game being short of the highest level at times, but he does possess the required robustness that Prendergast is unlikely to ever have.
Farrell appears to have made his choice as his preferred no. 10 a year ago, before Prendergast played a single minute at this level, and he is stuck in a cycle of confirmation bias that he is unwilling to back down from.
This will run and run no matter what happens on Saturday, unfortunately.
You can only beat what is in front of you, and Ireland had no qualms about putting a record score up against the Wallabies last weekend, with there being a huge number of positives emanating from the six-try mauling.
The big headline story was the performance of hat-trick hero Mack Hansen in his new role of full back.
In Hugo Keenan’s absence, that was certainly a success and one that we are likely to see a lot as we head into next year’s Six Nations.
Captain Caelan Doris was handed the unfamiliar no. 7 shirt and his stint at openside also went well.
Farrell has been reluctant to play anyone other than Josh van der Flier at seven in big games in recent years so at least there appears to be a Plan B now.
Paddy McCarthy already seems to be the chosen one as back to Andrew Porter at loose head, with him going well in his three caps to date.
He can expect to be reaching double figures in 2026.
Last Saturday was a return to form for Ireland, after being average against the All Blacks and Japan, but no one is getting carried away given the size of the task that awaits versus world champions South Africa on Saturday.
Their record in Dublin is a poor one, but that in itself is likely to be a motivator for Rassie Erasmus’ side.
This is likely to be incredibly physical with a lot of kicking.
Ireland certainly better not be undercooked for this one.
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