Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has publicly backed fly-half Sam Prendergast to make a strong comeback after his omission from the matchday squad for Saturday's pivotal Guinness Six Nations encounter with England at Twickenham. Prendergast, who started six of Ireland's last seven Six Nations fixtures, finds himself excluded from the championship 23 for the first time following a challenging performance in last weekend's narrow 20-13 victory over Italy.
Farrell's Assessment of Fly-Half Form
Speaking at a press conference, Farrell acknowledged that neither of his primary fly-half options, Prendergast and Jack Crowley, had been in peak form entering the camp. "I think the two lads probably came into camp, I think they've probably been in better form," Farrell stated, according to the Irish Independent. "I'm not saying they were in bad form, but you see during training which way that you're going to go through performance."
Crowley Earns Starting Role
Jack Crowley has been rewarded with the starting position at fly-half after his impactful substitute appearance against Italy. The 26-year-old, who played every minute of Ireland's triumphant 2024 Six Nations campaign, will partner with recalled scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park. This selection is part of five personnel changes, with prop Tadhg Furlong and back-rows Tadhg Beirne and Josh van der Flier also returning to the starting lineup.
Farrell explained his decision to start Crowley, citing the player's confident performances and ability to seize opportunities. "Because of what we've seen and how he's come through and performed and playing confidently," Farrell said. "You back what you see and all of that. I suppose sometimes you see people come from the back, have nothing to lose and then just rip in."
Prendergast's Development Journey
Despite the setback, Farrell emphasized that the 23-year-old Prendergast remains a valued member of the squad with a promising future. "Sam's a fantastic international player," Farrell affirmed. "He's on a journey that's obviously learning like all of us. That will never stop. It's the same for Ciaran Frawley."
The coach highlighted the ongoing competition among Ireland's fly-half options, including Crowley, Prendergast, Frawley, and Harry Byrne. "We've talked all along about the four lads competing against one another and the balance is right for this team this weekend," Farrell noted. "Everyone gets feedback and we talk it through and we use it in the right manner to see where we're going to go in the not too distant future."
Frawley's Bench Role and Readiness
Ciaran Frawley is set to provide cover from the bench and is poised to earn his first international cap since appearing in last summer's 106-7 victory over Portugal. The versatile 28-year-old, who can play at centre or fly-half, brings sharpness and eagerness to the squad according to Farrell.
"He's 100 per cent excited," Farrell said of Frawley. "He's been certainly frustrated with the lack of game time, certainly in the autumn. From what we've seen in training, how sharp he is and how eager he is to get going and the balance that he gives us on the bench, he'll be ready to go."
Farrell drew parallels between Crowley's situation and that of lock James Ryan, who delivered standout performances after initially being left out of the starting lineup. "I saw that with James as well with the Lions, when he was behind the eight ball there with a quad injury and he was chasing his tail to try and get into the squad and played his best rugby within that tour," Farrell recalled. "That's because people are able to sit back a bit, make sense of it and rip into the performance."
As Ireland prepares for their crucial Six Nations clash against England, Farrell's selections reflect both immediate tactical considerations and long-term development plans for his squad's playmaking options.
