Brian O\u2019Driscoll insists that the emergence of Harry Byrne as a genuine starting option at Leinster will only benefit Ireland and Sam Prendergast.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old playmaker has enjoyed a fine opening to the season and started ahead of Prendergast in the Irish province\u2019s Investec Champions Cup victory over Leicester Tigers.<\/p>\n
That was after impressing off the bench in Leinster\u2019s<\/a> underwhelming success over Harlequins a week earlier, where his fly-half rival was handed the number 10 reins.<\/p>\n Duel with Crowley<\/p>\n Prendergas<\/a>t has been battling with Munster\u2019s Jack Crowley for that role in the national team but he could now also have competition at the provincial level due to Byrne.<\/p>\n There has been plenty of debate around the 22-year-old since he burst onto the scene and this is another obstacle he will have to overcome.<\/p>\n O\u2019Driscoll only sees positives in it, however, and reckons that competition will help push the Irish<\/a> fly-halves to greater heights.<\/p>\n \u201cPrendergast is very much still the guy in charge but I think it\u2019s very, very healthy that he doesn\u2019t have an armchair ride, that Harry Byrne is going to be putting pressure on him,\u201d the Ireland legend told Off The Ball.<\/p>\n \u201cThe last thing you want is any level of complacency and certainty in that position. As a player, you will always encourage competition because I do think it makes you stay sharp and at the top of your game\u2026 because you realise the guy coming up behind you and trying to displace you is playing well.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of that feeds well into a team environment where competition is strong. I would even imagine Sam Prendergast would encourage that, rather than think he\u2019s got a 10-year run at Leinster.<\/p>\n \u201cThat certainly won\u2019t be the case and it shouldn\u2019t be the case. I think it\u2019s good that Harry\u2019s back showing a little bit of form and looks like there\u2019s a bit more control to his game. He\u2019s staying fit, which was a big part of the struggles he did have.\u201d<\/p>\n