Andy Farrell defends selection of Ireland’s Sam Prendergast against Australia

Ireland coach Andy Farrell said Sam Prendergast’s selection for Saturday’s Nations Championship opener against Australia has been earned after he was picked to start at fly-half.

Prendergast has been given the nod in Sydney ahead of Ciaran Frawley and Harry Byrne, his team-mates in club rugby with Leinster, with injury to Jack Crowley ruling the regular number nine out of the tour.

A difficult season for the 23-year-old looks set to end on a high. He slipped behind Byrne to become second choice at Leinster and had previously lost his Test place to Crowley.

His form has returned at an opportune moment however, and after Byrne was dropped from the side for the URC play-offs following a disappointing Champions Cup display against Bordeaux-Begles, Prendergast returned to turn in a fine display against the Bulls in the URC final.

It has been enough to impress Farrell ahead of his selection, which was announced on Thursday.

“The way that he’s handled the last month is a credit to him in regards to taking responsibility for the shirt and his chance to build through those last few games and finish it off with a top performance in a big game in the final,” he said. “He’s once again earned the right to do that.”

Prendergast’s older brother Cian is also in line to start at flanker at the Allianz Stadium with Jack Conan in at number eight.

“I think Cian has come a long way within his development over the last 12 months,” said Farrell.

“The learnings that he’s took from the autumn into the start of the Six Nations and how that progressed and continues to progress, you know that we always talk about how that type of experience stands to them when they go back to the province.

“I think he’s been outstanding for Connacht, so he deserves his start.”

Jamie Osborne is on the left wing, getting the nod ahead of Zac Ward, Jacob Stockdale and Jimmy O’Brien despite being more regularly employed in the centre or at full-back for Leinster.

“Obviously a few reasons as to why you settle on something in the end,” said Farrell. “One, he (Osborne) has been playing and playing really well, and two, he’s a bloody good rugby player in whatever position he’s playing in.

“Obviously, with how we want to play the game with our wingers, to make sure that they’re involved and stuff like that, he’s a smart rugby player, so he gets that straight away, he’s pretty good in the air, good left boot and all that type of stuff, so it all comes into the pot.”

Tom O’Toole starts at loosehead prop with Andrew Porter, Jack Boyle and Paddy McCarthy all out.

Stuart McCloskey, impressive in Ireland’s Triple Crown-winning Six Nations campaign, has recovered from a hamstring injury to start in midfield alongside Garry Ringrose.