Jack Crowley Starts at Fly Half as Sam Prendergast Left Out of Ireland Squad to Face England
In a significant selection decision, Jack Crowley will start at fly half for Ireland against England at Twickenham this Saturday, with Sam Prendergast omitted from Andy Farrell's matchday squad. The change comes after Prendergast's inconsistent performances during Ireland's opening two fixtures of the 2026 Six Nations campaign.
Strategic Squad Adjustments for Crucial Clash
Munster's Crowley steps into the pivotal number ten role as Ireland seek to maintain their championship aspirations against their historic rivals. The versatile Ciaran Frawley has been preferred as fly half cover on the bench over his Leinster teammate Prendergast, providing additional flexibility in the backline.
Farrell has also welcomed several key players back to the starting lineup, with Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park all returning to the first fifteen. In midfield, Garry Ringrose has overcome an injury concern to continue his partnership with Stuart McCloskey.
Forward Pack Reinforcement and Bench Balance
The selection includes five forwards among the replacements, with Beirne providing lock cover as Edwin Edogbo and Cormac Izuchukwu are excluded from the twenty-three. The promotion of Furlong and return of Finlay Bealham to the bench addresses scrummaging issues highlighted during Ireland's encounter with Italy earlier in the tournament.
"Games between the two sides have been nip and tuck over recent times and there's great familiarity and respect across both camps," Farrell commented. "We know their strengths and our aim is to deliver the best version of ourselves to put us in a position to get the performance that we want."
Backline Depth and Historical Context
Ireland boast considerable backline versatility, with Frawley capable of covering centre, full-back or fly half positions, while Tommy O'Brien offers wing options. The squad will be supported by thousands of travelling Irish supporters at Twickenham, creating what Farrell described as "another special occasion and a challenge we're excited to face."
Historically, Ireland secured victory over England in Dublin last year but suffered a narrow defeat on their previous visit to Twickenham following a late Marcus Smith drop goal. This weekend's encounter promises another intense chapter in this storied rivalry.
Ireland Matchday Squad for Twickenham Clash
Starting XV: 1 Jeremy Loughman, 2 Dan Sheehan, 3 Tadhg Furlong; 4 Joe McCarthy, 5 James Ryan; 6 Tadhg Beirne, 7 Josh van der Flier, 8 Caelan Doris; 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 10 Jack Crowley; 11 James Lowe, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 13 Garry Ringrose, 14 Robert Baloucoune; 15 Jamie Osborne.
Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Tom O'Toole, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Nick Timoney, 20 Jack Conan; 21 Craig Casey, 22 Ciaran Frawley, 23 Tommy O'Brien.
The match kicks off at 2.10pm GMT on Saturday 21 February at Twickenham's Allianz Stadium, with Ireland aiming to keep their Six Nations title hopes alive against an England side equally determined to secure victory on home soil.
