IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell said Jack Crowley has earned the number 10 shirt for this weekend’s clash against New Zealand with his positive form early on this season.
Having helped Ireland to their 2024 Six Nations title as the starting out-half, Crowley was pushed out of the team by Sam Prendergast last season.
However, the Munster man has started the current campaign in excellent form and will start against the All Blacks in Chicago, as Prendergast provides back-up from the Irish bench.
“He deserves it,” said Farrell of Crowley.
“He’s had a great pre-season, come back in, started the season in good form, and it’s certainly something that we saw in the first week over here.
“So we’ve had a great camp, getting the lads back together. It certainly shows us where everyone’s at as far as the competition and the respect that they’re trying to gain from one another.
“So you watch all of that and you come up with a decision who deserves to start and, rightly so, Jack has been running the side really well this week, so we’re looking forward to seeing him perform.”
Farrell has opted for Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey at inside centre ahead of Bundee Aki, who is part of the Ireland bench, and Robbie Henshaw, who misses out on the matchday 23.
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Again, Farrell stressed that McCloskey deserved his selection, especially having missed out on selection behind Aki and Henshaw so many times in the past.
Leinster wing Tommy O’Brien gets a major opportunity in the number 14 shirt for Ireland, having won his first two caps on the July tour of Georgia and Portugal.
The 27-year-old has been desperately unlucky with injuries in the past but Farrell is excited to unleash O’Brien on the Kiwis.
“It’s huge and, you know, we obviously know his capabilities and he’s had a bit of a stop-start career, or early career with injuries, etc. But once he gets his body right, he’s some athlete.
“And not just that. I’ve been super impressed of how diligent he is in his preparation. It’s a big game obviously for him, you mentioned that he got capped in the summer, but this is a huge game for everyone, never mind a guy playing the All Blacks for the first time at the start of the season.
“But I don’t get a sense of the occasion is gonna be too big for him because he’s so professional in how he goes about his job. So he’s prepared really well and really looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Dan Sheehan captains the Ireland team as Caelan Doris makes his return from injury among the replacements.
Ryan Baird is at blindside flanker. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
That means Jack Conan starts at number eight, with Josh van der Flier at openside, and Ryan Baird gets a big chance at blindside flanker.
“I suppose early on in the season, you need that bit of firepower coming off the bench and looking at Caelan, he’s in great nick,” said Farrell. “He’s chomping at the bit.
“He’d be a bit disappointed not to start and that’s how you want it. But he’s going to add loads coming off the bench.
“Set-piece wise, we know how difficult a challenge that’s going to be. It always is against New Zealand and certainly was last year and the year before that. We know that Ryan’s a lovely line-out forward, so we’re expecting things from him in that regard.
“So it’s the balance of the back row to start with and how it’s going to continue for the full 80 minutes.”
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Leinster loosehead prop Paddy McCarthy is set for his debut off the bench for Ireland.
McCarthy was part of the July tour but didn’t feature in either game against Georgia and Portugal, but his form early this season for Leinster has been eye-catching.
With lots of different individual stories to follow this weekend and in the upcoming Tests against Japan, Australia, and South Africa, Farrell is excited to get stuck into the autumn after his time in charge of the Lions.
“You pick a side for the month ahead and it’s certainly a challenging one, it’s certainly an exciting one that we that we’ve got coming up, so you pick a side for that,” said Farrell.
“And then we come over here and we’ve three or four really competitive sessions and you watch and learn and see who’s dealing with that as well.
“Because that’s part of international rugby as well – how you can come together and quickly gel as a team in the short space of time that you’ve got. It’s all part of the process.”
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'He deserves it' - Farrell backs Crowley at out-half for Ireland
IRELAND HEAD COACH Andy Farrell said Jack Crowley has earned the number 10 shirt for this weekend’s clash against New Zealand with his positive form early on this season.
Having helped Ireland to their 2024 Six Nations title as the starting out-half, Crowley was pushed out of the team by Sam Prendergast last season.
However, the Munster man has started the current campaign in excellent form and will start against the All Blacks in Chicago, as Prendergast provides back-up from the Irish bench.
“He deserves it,” said Farrell of Crowley.
“He’s had a great pre-season, come back in, started the season in good form, and it’s certainly something that we saw in the first week over here.
“So we’ve had a great camp, getting the lads back together. It certainly shows us where everyone’s at as far as the competition and the respect that they’re trying to gain from one another.
“So you watch all of that and you come up with a decision who deserves to start and, rightly so, Jack has been running the side really well this week, so we’re looking forward to seeing him perform.”
Farrell has opted for Ulster’s Stuart McCloskey at inside centre ahead of Bundee Aki, who is part of the Ireland bench, and Robbie Henshaw, who misses out on the matchday 23.
Again, Farrell stressed that McCloskey deserved his selection, especially having missed out on selection behind Aki and Henshaw so many times in the past.
Leinster wing Tommy O’Brien gets a major opportunity in the number 14 shirt for Ireland, having won his first two caps on the July tour of Georgia and Portugal.
The 27-year-old has been desperately unlucky with injuries in the past but Farrell is excited to unleash O’Brien on the Kiwis.
“It’s huge and, you know, we obviously know his capabilities and he’s had a bit of a stop-start career, or early career with injuries, etc. But once he gets his body right, he’s some athlete.
“And not just that. I’ve been super impressed of how diligent he is in his preparation. It’s a big game obviously for him, you mentioned that he got capped in the summer, but this is a huge game for everyone, never mind a guy playing the All Blacks for the first time at the start of the season.
“But I don’t get a sense of the occasion is gonna be too big for him because he’s so professional in how he goes about his job. So he’s prepared really well and really looking forward to seeing how he goes.”
Dan Sheehan captains the Ireland team as Caelan Doris makes his return from injury among the replacements.
That means Jack Conan starts at number eight, with Josh van der Flier at openside, and Ryan Baird gets a big chance at blindside flanker.
“I suppose early on in the season, you need that bit of firepower coming off the bench and looking at Caelan, he’s in great nick,” said Farrell. “He’s chomping at the bit.
“He’d be a bit disappointed not to start and that’s how you want it. But he’s going to add loads coming off the bench.
“Set-piece wise, we know how difficult a challenge that’s going to be. It always is against New Zealand and certainly was last year and the year before that. We know that Ryan’s a lovely line-out forward, so we’re expecting things from him in that regard.
“So it’s the balance of the back row to start with and how it’s going to continue for the full 80 minutes.”
Meanwhile, 22-year-old Leinster loosehead prop Paddy McCarthy is set for his debut off the bench for Ireland.
McCarthy was part of the July tour but didn’t feature in either game against Georgia and Portugal, but his form early this season for Leinster has been eye-catching.
With lots of different individual stories to follow this weekend and in the upcoming Tests against Japan, Australia, and South Africa, Farrell is excited to get stuck into the autumn after his time in charge of the Lions.
“You pick a side for the month ahead and it’s certainly a challenging one, it’s certainly an exciting one that we that we’ve got coming up, so you pick a side for that,” said Farrell.
“And then we come over here and we’ve three or four really competitive sessions and you watch and learn and see who’s dealing with that as well.
“Because that’s part of international rugby as well – how you can come together and quickly gel as a team in the short space of time that you’ve got. It’s all part of the process.”
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10 All Blacks andy farrell Chicago Ireland jack crowley Number 10