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Sam Prendergast dropped entirely as Farrell recalls 4 Lions for England
By Josh Raisey
Jack Crowley will start at fly-half for Ireland on Saturday against England in round three of the Guinness Six Nations following Andy Farrell’s decision to drop Sam Prendergast.
The Leinster No.10 has failed to make the squad after tricky outings against France and Italy, with Ciaran Frawley providing back-up on the bench.
The Munster playmaker is one of five changes to the starting XV from the side that beat Italy in round two, with British & Irish Lions Tadhg Furlong, Tadhg Beirne, Josh van der Flier and Jamison Gibson-Park all returning to the side.
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With Furlong, Beirne and Gibson-Park promoted back to the starting XV, the bench has a different complexion to the one which featured against the Azzurri.
After featuring against France in round one, Finlay Bealham has returned to the squad to serve as back-up to Furlong as Ireland look to shore up a creaking scrum. Tommy O’Brien, who also featured in Paris as a starter, is back in the squad as one of three backs on the bench, while Frawley will make his first appearance of the Championship should he come on as a replacement.
“Games between the two sides have been nip and tuck over recent times and there’s great familiarity and respect across both camps,” said Farrell. We know their strengths and our aim is to deliver the best version of ourselves to put us in a position to get the performance that we want.
“Backed by thousands of travelling Irish supporters who travel from all over the world whenever we play in Twickenham, it will be another special occasion and a challenge we’re excited to face.”
Ireland XV
15. Jamie Osborne (Naas/Leinster)(12)
14. Robert Baloucoune (Enniskillen/Ulster)(5)
13. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(71)
12. Stuart McCloskey (Bangor/Ulster)(25)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(44)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(32)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(48)
1. Jeremy Loughman (Garryowen/Munster)(7)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(37)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(83)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(21)
5. James Ryan (UCD/Leinster)(78)
6. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(67)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(76)
8. Caelan Doris (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)(captain)(57)
Replacements
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(45)
17. Tom O’Toole (Ballynahinch/Ulster)(18)
18. Finlay Bealham (Corinthians/Connacht)(55)
19. Nick Timoney (Queen’s University/Ulster)(8)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(57)
21. Craig Casey (Shannon/Munster)(26)
22. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(9)
23. Tommy O’Brien (Blackrock College/Leinster)(7).
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