Simon Easterby on what he expects from Ireland's bench

Simon Easterby has underlined the importance of a game-changing backup fly-half and suggested Ireland’s No. 10 could change from “week to week” during the 2025 Six Nations.

Easterby’s stand-off selection for Ireland’s opener at home to England on 1 February is eagerly awaited, with Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley looking set to battle it out for the jersey.

Both players have been tipped to tie down the shirt since it was vacated by the retiring Johnny Sexton after the 2023 World Cup, and both had spells wearing it in 2024.

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Easterby, who will lead Ireland this year while Andy Farrell focuses on his role as British and Irish Lions head coach, used Ciaran Frawley’s last-gasp drop-goal to seal victory over South Africa in July as an example of why he needs big players on his bench.

“There is always a balance between who starts and who comes off the bench,” Easterby said.

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“That guy off the bench can have a massive influence, as Jack did in the autumn and Ciaran Frawley did in South Africa.

“The dynamic of who starts and who is on the bench can work from week to week. You need someone to start the game well, of course you do, but you also need someone who is strong enough and ballsy enough to come on and do something like Frawley did in South Africa.”

Easterby insisted he “wants to embrace” his newfound responsibility after more than a decade working as an assistant coach.

He is tasked with delivering a historic third successive Six Nations title for Ireland, something that has never been achieved before.

But after a so-so Autumn Nations Series where a disappointing defeat to New Zealand was followed by a big win over Fiji and narrow victories against Australia and Argentina, Easterby’s immediate task is getting Ireland back to the levels they set when they became the world No. 1 side for a second time between 2022 and 2023.

“There is a genuine internal motivation to do that. That’s something that we have to make sure we keep driving as coaches,” Easterby said.

“Keep pushing the lads to do what we do really well, but keep evolving and adding layers to our game.

“Every team will try and improve and over the course of that couple of months since November, every team will feel like they’ve worked on a way to nullify you and improve their own game. We’re no different and it’s a really exciting prospect.”