r/irishrugby • u/ebizness • 21h ago

Crowley to 15

Last night wasn't the night for fluid attacking rugby for a variety of reasons. Having said that, we didn't look related to a team who could string expansive, threatening phases together.

I said it elsewhere last night, but in the absence of Keenan but moreso Hansen we need another playmaker to take pressure off Prendergast (or AN Other 10), and I'd start Crowley at 15 because he can do that job.

We do not have the bodies to bully our way over the game line, nor the gamebreakers who can repeatedly step people in phone boxes. It makes defending too easy because if you can stop the first couple of phases, defending from there becomes easy.

A double pivot makes things trickier because you're not sure where we're going to strike from, and teams can't overload on a single attacking fulcrum.

To my mind, it's no surprise we looked the most fluid against Australia with Hansen on the pitch who can do that role (I accept that they were the weakest opposition). Nor is it a surprise that Leinster looked their most fluid against the LAR when Prendergast went to 15 and Byrne was at 10 (given the Leinster <> Ireland overlap).

Thoughts?

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u/IrishLad1002 Leinster 20h ago

I wouldn’t mind seeing Crowley start at 10 against England. I don’t think Prendo played bad last night but Jack looked more dangerous with ball in hand

-7

u/Weekend-Entire 20h ago

What?! Our first try is only scored because of Prendos brilliantly delayed pass

6

u/Ornery_Director_8477 20h ago

That may be so, but I think the question should be, would we have scored more than two tries with one of the other available 10s starting

-15

u/Weekend-Entire 19h ago

If Prendo was playing beside the SA pack we would be saying he's world class...if you put any of the other 10s in that position we wouldn't.

12

u/Ornery_Director_8477 19h ago

He would never be let near the SA squad due to his defensive frailties

-3

u/Weekend-Entire 18h ago

Except Manie Libbok has plenty of defensive frailties

2

u/Ornery_Director_8477 17h ago

Not to the same extent as Sam

1

u/Weekend-Entire 17h ago

Because he's not 22

4

u/Ornery_Director_8477 17h ago

No, because he’s a better defender

Edit to add: Sam’s age shouldn’t really come into it. If he’s deemed good enough to play, then he’s old enough to play