Dec 03,2024
Ireland's out-half depth chart is one of the biggest talking points following a stuttering and unconvincing Autumn Nations Series.
Heading into this international window, I firmly believed that Ciarán Frawley was the player that would challenge Jack Crowley’s dominance in the number 10 jersey.
It wasn’t to be for Frawley, as an error-strewn performance off the bench against New Zealand seemed to slightly derail his position in Andy Farrell’s pecking order.
Next came the eagerly anticipated appearance of Sam Prendergast and, with the backing of his coach, he has changed the out-half landscape.
It could be argued that Farrell always had the Leinster tyro lined up to start the Fiji game to build depth in the position.
However, Frawley has yet to be afforded that opportunity with injuries possibly blocking the chance at various stages, which saw Crowley lock down his position.
Then came a poor, and uncharacteristically sloppy, performance from Frawley and it feels as though Farrell’s ruthlessness gave Prendergast the chance to shine.
Farrell liked what he saw so much that he doubled down and gave Prendergast the last chance to stake a claim at the Irish Six Nations out-half jersey.
We can't shout about Ireland not giving guys chances and then keep shouting when the management does that exact thing.
Starting Prendergast against the Wallabies felt like a black mark against Crowley, but that is an assumed narrative.
It still felt like a seismic shift in out-half relations. Maybe it was also a shift in how Farrell approaches the development of his squad, or maybe it’s because Farrell won’t be up close and personal with these players until after the Lions tour, and he wanted to make sure he got the process of creating more competition at 10 under way.
Prendergast clearly has many of the tools to become a long-term international. His kicking is strong and technical, his distribution delayed and accurate. The confidence required to step into the Test arena and be himself is admirable.
There are question marks, however, around how close to the tackle line he gets when distributing. Rugby currently likes ball-playing and threatening out halves.
Giving others time and space is an intangible that some of the greatest minds in the game possess. Tyler Bleyendaal had that knack, and it just so happens that he’s coaching Prendergast at club level.
The concern is that, at such an early stage in his career, if he stands too close to the tackle line in attack or defence he is likely to be on the receiving end of more than a few bruises.
What has impressed me is that Prendergast hasn’t been caught in many confrontations in his three outings despite not shying away from contact. He may not have smashed everything in front of him, but he has managed fine.
Jack Crowley is a different animal in the defensive line. He probably shades it overall in terms of how much closer he gets to the tackle line in attack. It’s a different style. And he’s a few years further down the track in terms of his physical development. However, it is a strength of his over Sam Prendergast.
When he came on last weekend, he showed a bit of youthful bite in an experienced head. He confidently strutted around and was outspoken when captain Caelan Doris was afforded penalty options. The Corkman seemed to take charge of the narrative when he got on, alongside his provincial team-mate, Craig Casey.
With England on the horizon in the Six Nations opener, Crowley remains the man in possession.
He’s a Six Nations winner and has stepped into the void left by Johnny Sexton with minimal fuss, yet the gap between Prendergast and Crowley has closed.
Judging Prendergast like a seasoned international is unfair. We won’t get a clearer picture until he has another 10 caps or a year of Test rugby under his belt. His potential is obvious and his comfort and ability to engage more in tough attacking situations will clearly improve. He has a lot of rugby still to play.
It's equally unfair judging Crowley on one game where he wasn’t in the starting line-up. He was one of the hottest prospects in Irish rugby over the last two years and has had to win his own battles against other 10s to gain control of the jersey.
Sport is fickle. Frawley came out of the summer tour as the biggest challenger, expecting to push Crowley as a Test starter and he probably now finds himself as third choice.
Frawley’s versatility won’t help his cause and that versatile bench spot is now under serious threat.
One thing that is painfully obvious at this stage is that Leinster and Ireland will need to find some common thinking when it comes to their out-half selection.
Frawley and Prendergast will battle it out at provincial level, while Ross Byrne and his brother Harry won’t be rolling over too quickly either.
