Star Metro - Easterby ready for long-term contest between Ireland fly-half duo

In his first selection since standing in for Ireland head coach Andy Farrell, now in charge of the British and Irish Lions' tour of Australia later this year, Easterby has opted for the 21-year-old Prendergast as his starting stand-off against England in Dublin on Saturday.

Munster fly-half Crowley, 25, featured throughout Ireland's title-winning campaign last year but fell behind Prendergast during the November internationals, with Ireland looking for a successor to retired fly-half star Johnny Sexton.

Down the decades there have been battles for the Ireland No 10 jersey, be it the contest between Tony Ward and Ollie Campbell in the late 1970s and early 1980s, or the more recent duels featuring David Humphreys and Ronan O'Gara and then O'Gara and Sexton.

Easterby now expects more of the same from Prendergast and Crowley.

"They are going to play a lot of rugby and compete for a long time, I think," Easterby said after announcing his team to play England on Thursday.

"This decision has gone Sam's way. We felt like he did really well in November, he got a taste for international rugby... We feel like he's the right man this weekend to lead the team. He's a lot of experience around him."

- 'Selection not a science' -

Crowley appeared to be the heir to Sexton following the 2023 World Cup only for Leinster rising star Prendergast, who made his Test debut as a replacement in Ireland's win over Argentina in November, to start in the subsequent victories over Fiji and Australia.

"Selection isn't a perfect science, it's conversations that you have with players and with other coaches along the way and then over a period of time you start to formulate your plans," said Easterby, who has former Ireland captain Sexton in his backroom staff.

Ireland will be without Joe McCarthy after the lock suffered a head injury in training on Wednesday. Tadhg Beirne has been moved into the second row in McCarthy's absence, with Ryan Baird now starting at blindside flanker.

"It was a rugby-kind of collision," Easterby said of the incident that led to McCarthy's withdrawal. "It was just an unfortunate set of circumstances, someone's head landed on his head and it was a nasty blow."

England, who denied Ireland a Grand Slam last year with a tense 23-22 win at Twickenham, named their side earlier this week, with Tom and Ben Curry becoming the first twin brothers to play for the team after coach Steve Borthwick selected the dynamic Sale duo as his flank forwards

"They are both fabulous players," said Easterby, himself a former Ireland back-row.

"It poses other threats in terms of what they bring to the game but also signals a little bit about how England want to play the game.

"For us, that could be an opportunity as well."

Y.Walker--SMC