THOMAS CLARKSON AND Sam Prendergast became the 36th and 37th players to be handed their Ireland debuts by Andy Farrell when they entered the fray in Dublin last Friday.
The head coach is hoping that those first caps against Argentina are the launchpad for something long-lasting.
Oli Jager and Jamie Osborne are the other two Irish players to have made their Ireland debuts in 2024, while it remains to be seen if there are any new caps this Saturday against Fiji.
Farrell has essentially fielded his full-strength, first-choice starting XV for both autumn games against New Zealand and Argentina so far and while he will respect the Fijians with his selection this weekend, there is surely scope for some squad-building.
The Ireland boss argues that winning now is the most important thing for Ireland, but he also insists that he is always thinking a little further down the line too.
While Farrell sometimes gets criticised for what is perceived as too much loyalty to some of his experienced players, the Ireland squad has undergone a fair bit of change during his time in charge.
Key players like Caelan Doris, Rónan Kelleher, Hugo Keenan, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Lowe, Dan Sheehan, Mack Hansen, Crowley, and Joe McCarthy have been given their first caps by Farrell.
As his comments in recent weeks have highlighted, Farrell doesn’t believe he has a very deep pool of Irish players ready to step up to international rugby.
So he was thrilled that Clarkson and Prendergast could make a positive impact against the Pumas on Friday night.
“It’s huge,” said Farrell. “You’ve seen the characters throughout training and you know they’re ready for that type of occasion, a pressured occasion.
“I said to them in there in the changing room then that they came in well-prepared because of the form they’ve shown this season.
“And it’s not about one cap, is it? It’s what you do with that one cap and how hungry you are to kick on now to gain on that experience.”
There’s little doubt both young Leinster players were instantly hoping for another chance against Fiji this Saturday afternoon.
Farrell might rotate at out-half after Crowley started both games so far. Prendergast did look sharp off the bench, although Ciarán Frawley would dearly love a chance to start a Test at number 10 for the first time.
With Tadhg Furlong and Tom O’Toole potentially back from injury at tighthead this week, Farrell might be keen to get them up to speed, but Clarkson certainly showed that he deserves more chances with Ireland.
The uncapped Ulster lock/flanker Cormac Izuchukwu would have targeted this Fiji game for his debut so he’ll hope to follow Clarkson and Prendergast into the international arena.
While Farrell indicated that he’ll pick a cohort of experienced players to provide continuity on Saturday, it would seem like a prime chance for less-experienced squad members such as Craig Casey and Cian Prendergast to step up.
Indeed, Farrell underlined on Friday that this autumn window is key for Ireland’s development when he was asked if his looming departure for the Lions job made it a strange campaign for him.
“Honestly, I try to make sure that there’s no distractions and there hasn’t been,” said Farrell.
“It’s full steam ahead for me.
“This is a great window for us to improve as a group going forward.”
Among those learning along the way has been Doris, who was Ireland’s starting captain for just the fourth time in the Argentina clash.
Having taken over from Peter O’Mahony as the full-time leader for this campaign, the aftermath of losing to the All Blacks two weekends ago must have been tough for the 26-year-old, who was the first new player Farrell capped in his maiden game in charge of Ireland in 2020.
“It’s big for Caelan,” said Farrell. “It’s big being captain of the side.
“Even subconsciously, not that it’s said, I probably put more pressure on him because of last week and the team’s performance [against New Zealand].
“I’m sure he takes a bit of extra responsibility for that. He’s very good at taking on a challenge and relishing that challenge. He’s as good as anyone at dealing with stuff that’s not going well and making sure of it.
“It’s all good learning steps for us.”
Some tough questions need to be asked of Farrell at this stage.
Why is he going on the Lions tour? It’s going to prove a huge distraction and will upset group too.
He seems intent on knocking Jack Crowleys confidence. If he doesn’t pick him on the lions tour it’ll create another storm.
Does he have regrets over his decisions during the World Cup? Why was sexton left on the field?
Also re his coaching team. PoC and Goodman have sketchy track records. Why is sexton brought in when he’s no coaching experience?
It all suddenly feels Declan post 2011 World Cup or Joe Schmidt 2019.
@Tommy Kennedy: Ridiculous comment. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we won. Argentina have beaten the best in the world this year, but we beat them. We lost to NZ in the first game of the series when we were very undercooked. People need to relax.
@Fagin Strauss: agreed, must be Monday morning blues with the above comment!
@Fagin Strauss: we were blessed to win. One Irish try should have been disallowed too.
Farrell needs to be seriously questioned.
@Fagin Strauss: and the first half v ARG was actually a very good performance. We could have been out of sight if Beirne had grounded and we’d not given some cheap penalties away. I think the bench has let him down so far in the 2 games – there’s a few there who are probably on their way out and that needs to be completed this autumn. Our bench could be more youthful and impactful but it’s certainly not a crisis.
@Tommy Kennedy: out of curiosity, which Irish try should have been disallowed and why?
@Tommy Kennedy: Nonsensical comment. Coaching the lions is the pinnacle of any coaches career in the Northern Hemisphere, a step above Ireland. Players will tell you the same. We should be proud our coach got selected for it. He was selected on the back of unprecedented success of our rugby team which answers a lot of your other rubbish questions. As for Crowley…he could easily have been dropped for Argentina and yet he got the start. How is Farrell knocking his confidence by repeatedly starting him. You make no sense. You refer to Declan and Joe post world cup…we’ll post world cup Farrell has won the six nations for the 3rd year in a row and leveled a series against the world champs in South Africa
@Fagin Strauss: stop talking sense, it doesn’t fit the narrative of our resident trolls
@Michael Corkery: the one off the kelleher line out. His feet were on the pitch. Should have been a free kick to Argentina.
@anthony davoren: the British lions is finished as a concept.
It’s a money junket.
Ireland should not be supporting it. We gain nothing from it.
France, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia wouldn’t entertain their head coach leaving for a year on a jolly.
Why should we? Have the players but we don’t have the management team.
@Tommy Kennedy: Jack Crowley has been picked by Farrell for every game since Sexton’s retirement. On what planet does that seem like an intent to knock a players confidence? Would it be better to leave him out? Currently, the Lions 10s are likely to be Finn Russell, Marcus Smyth & Jack Crowley. Sam Prendergast and Finn Smith have a chance to overtake their countrymen during the 6N. If that happens, it won’t cause a storm. It does feel a little like post 2019 but mostly because a new attack coach is trying to implement a plan. Have faith. It will work out.
@Tommy Kennedy: FFS, considering the other stuff the ref missed, you pick up a relatively irrelevant technicality like that. I thought you were to reference a missed knock on or illegal block or something that actually caused a try to be scored.
@Tommy Kennedy: So if the Lions is finished as a concept, why would there be a storm if Jack is not picked? I think that you started your comment with the best of intentions and maybe went a little too far. Don’t keep digging though. No shame to step back, consider the responses and then roll back a little to a more reasonable position.
@Tommy Kennedy: As long as a bit of a foot is touching the line he is ‘out’ and therefore totally fine to throw in. (In the same way if a foot touches the line during play the player is out) Maybe check the laws before you say the try should not be allowed.
@Marcus: in correct.
@Tommy Kennedy: watch every hooker throw in. They all just have the heels on the line. Are they all ‘in correct’, as you put it?
@Tommy Kennedy: intent on knocking Crowleys confidence? Seriously? Crowleys confidence has been poor because of Munster, nothing to do with Farrell.
@Tommy Kennedy: you might wanna watch some rugby lad.
Every hooker throws into the lineout standing on the pitch
Uh