Unsurprisingly, Jack Crowley is expected to be named at outhalf when the Ireland team to play England at Twickenham on Saturday (kick-off 2.10pm) is announced on Thursday morning.
Jamison Gibson-Park is also in line to be restored, after the introduction of the two halfbacks along with four Lions’ forwards helped Ireland over the line in last Saturday’s hard-earned 20-13 win over Italy in Dublin having trailed at half-time at home to the Azzurri for the first time ever in the Six Nations.
The likelihood is that Sam Prendergast, who started last weekend before making way for Crowley in the 56th minute, will miss out on the matchday 23 altogether, with Ciarán Frawley’s versatility likely to see him named on the bench to cover outhalf, centre and fullback.
Although Prendergast did many things well against Italy, his two missed conversions perhaps showed he was feeling the pressure of the focus and responsibility being placed on him.
In the aftermath of Ireland’s round two win, head coach Andy Farrell hit out at “the keyboard warriors” who targeted both Prendergast and Crowley on social media, adding they “need to cop on”.
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Ireland responded to their disappointment in Paris with a win over Italy. Albeit an unconvincing one. Did new faces in Andy Farrell’s team do enough to change the status selection quo? Did Ireland’s attack start to look like its old self? Does Scotland’s win offer any hope heading to Twickenham? Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan join Nathan Johns to discuss.Produced by John Casey.
Regarding Prendergast’s performance, Farrell said: “He’d be frustrated with bits. These things will stand to them as in that’s the journey, that’s the career. Down the line, these two lads (Prendergast and Crowley), and others, they will be the players that they want to be. Everyone goes through these types of scenarios.”
With his first involvement, Crowley was the fulcrum of the high-tempo, nine-phase attack off a lineout on the Irish 10-metre line which culminated in Rob Baloucoune’s finish from Stuart McCloskey’s NFL quarterback-style pass, which Farrell remarked was “as good a try as we’ve ever scored”.
Crowley also landed his two kicks at goal and even in the immediate aftermath of the match, the signs were that Farrell would change his halfback pairing.
Ireland’s Jack Crowley during last weekend’s game against Italy. Photograph: Inpho
Tellingly, Farrell was forgiving of Crowley missing the game’s last penalty to the corner, so denying Ireland the opportunity to chase a fourth-try bonus point and told the Munster outhalf that the positives in his performance far outweighed the negatives.
Prendergast turned 23 last Thursday. For comparison, Johnny Sexton had turned 24 by the time he made his debut, embarking upon a 15-year Ireland career.
Reflecting on Prendergast’s opening two performances in this year’s tournament last Tuesday, Sexton noted Prendergast landed his two kicks in the cauldron of an opening night game at the Stade de France, adding: “Sam had the ball on a string for 95 per cent of last week and just rushed the first one and that probably rattled him a little bit. We’ve all been there. It’s just important that he learns from it and doesn’t let it happen again.”
Sexton heaped praise on Crowley for the energy and decision-making he brought to Ireland’s performance in the last 30 minutes against Italy and forewarned that the 26-year-old’s challenge might be to do so from the off against England.
It should help Crowley that he is set to have Gibson-Park as his halfback partner, the Leinster scrumhalf also having a positive impact against Italy. The rest of the backline is set to remain intact after Baloucoune impressed on his debut, as did James Lowe on his return to the starting XV.
The scrum has also come under attention after conceding four penalties to the Azzurri pack, but despite speculation that the entire replacement frontrow could be picked to start, the likelier option is that Jeremy Loughman and Dan Sheehan will be retained, with Tadhg Furlong promoted from the bench.
It is understood that Tadhg Beirne is pushing hard for a start after being omitted last week, while Josh van der Flier may be restored to the matchday 23, along with Finlay Bealham. Tom O’Toole is expected to provide cover at loosehead again despite playing at tighthead for Ulster over the last three seasons.
Omitting Lowe from the matchday squad for Ireland’s opening 36-14 loss in Paris certainly drew a huge response from the Leinster winger against Italy, so Farrell and his assistants may well be thinking there may be a similar response from van der Flier.
Farrell has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench for Ireland’s first two games, but even if he does so again, van der Flier’s return would leave them with a difficult decision to make, potentially omitting Edwin Edogbo, Cormac Izuchukwu or Nick Timoney.
IRELAND (possible v England): Jamie Osborne; Robert Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, James Lowe; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Jeremy Loughman, Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt). Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Tom O’Toole, Finlay Bealham, Jack Conan, (two from Edwin Edogbo, Cormac Izuchukwu and Nick Timoney), Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley.