Ronan O’Gara’s brutal verdict on ‘yo-yo’ Jack Crowley as Brian O’Driscoll backs the ‘braver’ Sam Prendergast call
Ireland fly-half Jack Crowley and former Test playmaker Ronan O'Gara.
Ronan O’Gara insists that Jack Crowley does not deserve the Ireland fly-half jersey on the basis of his form at both provincial and international level.
The legendary playmaker was brutal in his assessment of the 25-year-old, who has been usurped by youngster Sam Prendergast since the start of the Autumn Nations Series.
Following Johnny Sexton’s retirement after the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Crowley stepped into his shoes for the subsequent Six Nations and impressed as they claimed the title.
However, O’Gara argues that the pivot has been less convincing since then, allowing Prendergast to take the shirt for the games against Fiji and the Wallabies in November.
Crowley’s return to form
Crowley earned plaudits for his performance against Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup, but Prendergast was selected in the number 10 jersey for Ireland’s opening match of the Six Nations against England.
“He’d want to be careful. He might find himself out of the 23 which happens sometimes with the 10s,” O’Gara told Off The Ball.
“He had a fantastic Six Nations for Ireland…but he didn’t kick on. He had the South African tour and he opened the door for competitors to keep having bites. In November it was the same.
“I’m a big fan of his and I like what he stands for but you can’t do that. It’s confirmed by the announcement of the team to play England that, in the management’s eyes, Sam is the better player. Jack has to accept that and say, ‘OK, we’re not building for the future, we’re not looking at my number two.’ He is number two.
“That was probably hard to take but if he takes good messages from that, replay every action in his head – ‘What will I do here, do I confirm what he’s done, where am I seeing the space?’
“Sam has been exceptional for Leinster. Jack has been like a yo-yo for Munster and, when you’re a yo-yo for Munster, you don’t get in the Irish team.”
Fellow Ireland legend Brian O’Driscoll agreed with O’Gara that Prendergast should be the starting fly-half, albeit for slightly different reasons.
O’Driscoll reckons that the Leinster playmaker is the long-term answer in the position and should be backed ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, despite feeling that, on form, Crowley is perhaps unfortunate to miss out.
O’Driscoll’s view
“I think Prendergast is going to be the 10 in the World Cup in 2027. I think his ceiling is higher, I think he’s got more natural ability than Crowley,” he told Off The Ball.
“He seems like a very confident guy, he’s getting lots more game time. I suppose you need to be careful. You’ve got to reward guys as well.
“He did play the last couple of games in November, but Crowley came on against Australia and changed the game with [Craig] Casey.
“Sometimes I’m very keen on rewarding those sort of moments, when you come in and make a big difference. Crowley also played really well in the loss to Northampton. I actually thought they were going to go with Crowley.
“I think it’s a braver call, he is going to be the guy for the long-term in my opinion. The comfort of [Jamison] Gibson-Park, of three or four of the backs, there’s a big Leinster contingent.”
