When the Irish squad went back to work last Monday morning, the most positive factor in the fallout from the wounding 42-27 defeat at home against France was that they actually did have one more game in the Six Nations.
This Saturday’s match against Italy in the Stadio Olimpico (kick-off 3.15pm local time/2.15pm Irish) affords Ireland an opportunity to at least finish the campaign on a strong note, and to that end Simon Easterby and his assistant coaches have acknowledged that the team needed to be re-energised as well as refocused.
So it is that the fit-again duo of Mack Hansen and James Lowe, whose attacking X-factor and presence as outlets on the flanks and roaming in the middle were missed last week, are restored. So too is Garry Ringrose after completing his suspension for the 20-minute red card he incurred in the round-three win over Wales. Ireland now look better equipped to add more variety to their attack.
In addition, it was always likely that James Ryan would be restored and Joe McCarthy moved to the bench, if not as punishment per se for last week’s yellow card when impulsively tugging Thomas Ramos by the collar, then as a general signal to the squad. One ventures that Joe Schmidt might have gone even further!
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Jack Conan’s form also merits a recall and Ireland may as well combine his carrying game with that of Caelan Doris in the same starting backrow in a nod to the post-Peter O’Mahony era.
In truth, Easterby and co could have left it at that, and nobody would have been unduly surprised, and maybe we place too much emphasis on the number 10 jersey and with it the Sam Prendergast/Jack Crowley debate. Even so, promoting Crowley is the most intriguing aspect of Easterby’s final game in this championship as interim head coach, however much this call was, or was not, influenced by Andy Farrell.
Having gone from first-choice to backup outhalf from halfway through the November series, and been restricted to endgames at fullback in Ireland’s last three games, Crowley must be straining at the leash.
Whatever his disappointment at how the last few months have unfolded, his energy and body language were palpable in his 24 minutes on the pitch against France. He even had a little try assist with the game’s last play.
Crowley also caught the eye with a fleeting but effervescent endgame appearance at the Stadio Olimpico two years ago. He was patient then, has been patient again now, and deserves his chance, as the Farrell/Easterby policy of bringing two young outhalves to the next World Cup with 50-plus caps between them continues.
With that and Leicester’s move for Crowley in mind, if Munster and the IRFU were to lose him at the end of the season, it would seriously call into question the Union’s decision not to give central contracts to either of their leading young outhalves,
After all, this is in light of an outhalf exodus which has seen Ben Healy and Joey Carbery leave Munster, with Ross Byrne to leave Leinster for Gloucester at the season’s end. Meanwhile, the RFU have three outhalves among the 17 English players with enhanced elite player squad contracts this season, namely Marcus Smith, Fin Smith and George Ford.
Crowley’s versatility heightens his long-term value to both Munster and Ireland, and it would be no surprise if Crowley ends up as a viable option at 12, if not 15. Crowley is a very good rugby player, and has the footwork, kicking game, passing and tackling to be an inside centre, whereas the latter could not be said of Prendergast.
Is the change in part due to Prendergast’s performance last week, when the French targeted his defence? Perhaps to some extent.
“Regardless of the result last week we were looking at making changes,” said Easterby. “Jack’s been brilliant, working away, supporting Sam in his first experiences of the Six Nations. Jack had that last year and we just felt like it was the right thing to do for Jack, to get in to lead the week.
“It was a pretty physical game last week, it took a lot out of a lot of players in particular. That role that Sam has done has been brilliant in terms of leading the team. It takes a lot pf physical effort, but also mental effort.
“It will be a good week to freshen things up a little bit. Sam’s got a different role now to play, coming off the bench, and it allows Jack, who is a bit fresher, to lead the week. I just thought it was the right thing to do there.”
In any event, it feels like the right call for this week, albeit this does not mean Prendergast’s exceptional talent has gone away. He’ll still play some part in the Stadio Olimpico and all things being well and equal, Prendergast has the skill set and mentality to be an exceptional Irish outhalf for many years to come.
Meanwhile, making a further investment in Jack Boyle and Gus McCarthy in tandem with Tadhg Furlong’s belated first appearance of this Six Nations, while affording farewells to O’Mahony and Conor Murray, has a balanced feel to it. Ditto having the ballast of Bundee Aki off the bench.
As much as anything, this Irish selection also affords full respect to an Italian team which deserves as much.
In the heel of the hunt, it’s disappointing that Ryan Baird has gone from starting against England, to bench duty against Scotland, to being omitted from the 23 against Wales (when called up that morning for the unwell Cian Prendergast), to being a sub again against France to now being omitted from the matchday squad again.
Confused? He must be.
IRELAND: Hugo Keenan (Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster); Jack Crowley (Munster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht); James Ryan (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Jack Conan (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt).
Replacements: Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Jack Boyle (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster), Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Conor Murray (Munster), Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht).
