Jack Crowley has lost the first battle of the 2025 Six Nations to Sam Prendergast, and Ronan O'Gara believes the Munster man can have no complaints.
Despite starting each game of Ireland's Six Nations-winning campaign last year, Crowley came under pressure from youngster Prendergast during the Autumn Nations Series.
Ultimately, the 21-year-old Leinster fly-half was preferred for the massive concluding game against Australia. With Andy Farrell taking a step back from the coaching team to prepare for the summer's Lions tour, his interim replacement Simon Easterby has maintained that call at 10 for the Six Nations opener against England.
It's a major blow for Crowley, who appeared to have building form during the most recent batch of Champions Cup games for Munster.
However, Ireland legend Ronan O'Gara believes that Crowley's form at provincial level has been too inconsistent for him to have any expectations of winning the 10 jersey back from Prendergast.
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Ronan O'Gara questions Jack Crowley's Munster form
15 November 2024; Sam Prendergast of Ireland, right, comes on as a substitute for teammate Jack Crowley during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Argentina at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Appearing on Off the Ball on Friday morning, Ronan O'Gara was naturally asked to weigh in on the hottest topic surrounding Ireland team selection - the fly-half debate.
O'Gara's tussle with Johnny Sexton for the jersey is legendary, and the Munster icon was asked whether he felt Crowley should have been chosen over his more inexperienced counterpart.
However, Crowley earned little sympathy from his fellow Corkman.
"He'd want to be careful," O'Gara said, "He might find himself out of the 23 which happens sometimes with the 10s.
"He had a fantastic Six Nations for Ireland...but he didn't kick on. He had the South African tour and he opened the door for competitors to keep having bites. In November it was the same.
"I'm a big fan of his and I like what he stands for but you can't do that. It's confirmed by the announcement of the team to play England that, in the management's eyes, Sam is the better player. Jack has to accept that and say, 'OK, we're not building for the future, we're not looking at my number two.' He is number two.
"That was probably hard to take but if he takes good messages from that, replay every action in his head - 'What will I do here, do I confirm what he's done, where am I seeing the space?'
"Sam has been exceptional for Leinster. Jack has been like a yo-yo for Munster and, when you're a yo-yo for Munster, you don't get in the Irish team."
It's a bleak outlook on Jack Crowley's prospects with Ireland but it's hard to find fault with O'Gara's assessment of Munster's fly-half.
Though Crowley was exceptional both in the victory over Saracens and the narrow defeat to Northampton, those two performances followed a disastrous outing against Castres in December's round two Champions Cup game.
It's a pleasant headache for the Irish coaching staff to have but no doubt Jack Crowley will be frustrated with having let his grip on the number 10 jersey slip through his grasp.
Intriguingly, Jack Crowley and Munster will come up against Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle in the last 16 of the Champions Cup in April. Where Crowley stands in the pecking order with Ireland by the time that game comes around remains to be seen.
