Reflecting the debate out there, Andy Farrell has undoubtedly been asked about the Sam Prendergast/Jack Crowley outhalf conundrum more than any other position over the past 12 months. By the proverbial country mile too.
To be precise, this dates back to when the former ended the latter’s run of nine successive starts at 10 halfway through last season’s four-match autumn programme.
History has repeated itself with Crowley starting the first two games of this window against New Zealand and Japan before Prendergast was chosen to start the third and fourth games. That the debate has continued in the wake of Prendergast’s classy first hour against the Wallabies before Crowley steered the ship home is a little surprising – less so that Prendergast has been retained to face South Africa at the Aviva Stadium this Saturday (kick-off 5.40pm).
Ireland vs South Africa: rugby’s biggest rivalry?
That said, good judges such as Ian Madigan and others have suggested that starting with Crowley’s stronger defence might have been the better option against the Springboks before bringing on Prendergast when the game loosens up in the last 20 or 30 minutes.
Whatever about that, Farrell bridled a tad when asked if he’d perhaps wanted to see a little more from Prendergast defensively against Australia, when he missed three tackles.
“I understand the question, and it’s a question that obviously keeps popping up now, but I think Sam’s ability as a flyhalf far outweighs a work-on within his game,” said Farrell.
“I thought he was tremendous last week. His skill set has been fantastic for all to see, and I think everyone needs to look through a little bit of a work-on, because everyone’s got work-ons and will continue to have work-ons throughout. And that’s up to us as coaches and the rest of the players to keep on working on them.”
Tall and somewhat angular, Prendergast’s height of 6’ 3” possibly counts against him when defending in the outhalf channel, and Farrell was subsequently asked if he’d specifically spoken to the 22-year-old about his technique and body position.
“I understand your question again, but they’re loaded questions, you know what I mean? Because then it’s obvious that we have to talk about that. Your question could be asked about any single player throughout.
“Of course, we constantly talk to individuals about all aspects of the play.
“So, to think that we’re just focusing on one aspect of one player is not right. Because, for example, I spoke to our two leaders yesterday about certain aspects of their game. I’m talking about Caelan [Doris] and Dan Sheehan now, world-class players, and they agree with the work-ons. You know what I mean? It is constant throughout for every single member of every single squad in World Rugby.”
Josh van der Flier returns from injury for Ireland’s meeting with South Africa on Saturday. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho
All in all, it sounded distinctly as if Farrell has grown weary or the focus on the outhalves but he countered: “How can I be sick because it’s going to continue? This has been going on for 100 years in Irish rugby so it’s not going to stop. I get it, like.
“I think the two players that we keep debating about, I said last week about the other lads [Ciarán Frawley and Harry Byrne], and we’ve been in contact with the other lads. So, it continues the whole time. I get the narrative, but I think we should continue to see the good in people because we’ve got a hell of a lot of good players and we should continue to do that across the board.”
Elsewhere in the starting XV, Farrell has made four changes to the side which kicked off the record 46-19 win over the Wallabies, with the fit-again duo of Josh van der Flier and Garry Ringrose both recalled after being ruled out with hamstring strains.
Also restored is Andrew Porter and Bundee Aki, who were part of an impactful bench last week. Aki’s first start since the Six Nations defeat at home to France last season is partly attributable to Robbie Henshaw contracting the hamstring bug in training and so joining the unlucky Stuart McCloskey on the casualty list.
This also leads to Tom Farrell filling the 23 jersey, with Paddy McCarthy and Jack Conan also reverting to the bench, where Cian Prendergast is retained.
Save for Mack Hansen at fullback again, Aki, the younger Prendergast at 10 and Doris at number eight, this is the same starting XV as faced the All Blacks. But, partly due to the after-effects of the Lions tour, the squad has been designed to peak for this mouthwatering Test against the double world champions, back-to-back winners of the Rugby Championship and world’s number one ranked side.
“Of course, 100 per cent,” said Farrell. “If you didn’t think that was going to be the case you’re doing something wrong.
“But that’s not to say playing against the best in the world that that’s going to happen, because if you’re not up to speed with how you attack the game then they smell a sign of weakness,” he said, citing the Springboks’ back-to-back wins away to New Zealand and at home to Argentina by 43-10 and 67-30, before reflecting on Ireland’s rusty opening defeat this month to the All Blacks.
“Obviously we didn’t get the performance that we wanted, but the hard work that we put in in Chicago and in the camp beforehand, we said at the time after the game that it would stand to us.
“Now, I think we’re more up to speed with international rugby, the pressures of it, the accuracy of it, and the speed of it and the fitness levels. But you’ve still got to turn up and apply all that and take your game forward to an outstanding team.”
IRELAND: Mack Hansen (Connacht); Tommy O’Brien (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), James Lowe (Leinster); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster), Tadhg Furlong (Leinster); James Ryan (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Ryan Baird (Leinster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher (Leinster), Paddy McCarthy (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Jack Conan (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster), Jack Crowley (Munster), Tom Farrell (Munster).
