Ireland defeated Joe Schmidt's Australia by a narrower than hoped-for margin on Saturday afternoon, ending a scruffy and unconvincing Autumn campaign with a 22-19 win.
While the rugby played across November's four games has been far from desirable, Ireland leave with three wins from four and having blooded a host of young players that Andy Farrell will be hoping serve him well in the years to come.
Leinster's Gus McCarthy and Ulster's Cormac Izuchukwu both impressed in their maiden international campaign, with the former dotting down for two tries, including the late winner vs Australia.
However, in truth, all eyes were on Sam Prendergast who despite scarcely appearing for Leinster Rugby, appeared off the bench in Ireland's game versus Argentina, before starting against Fiji and ousting the jersey holder Jack Crowley for last weekend's win over Australia.
Having delivered three potential-laden performances in green, Sam Prendergast appears to have earned the favour of Andy Farrell and the starting Ireland number ten jersey.
30 November 2024; Sam Prendergast of Ireland during the Autumn Nations Series match between Ireland and Australia at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
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Jackman predicts interesting solution to Ireland's outhalf debate
What has been a fortuitous Autumn Series for Prendergast however, has been less fortuitous for Munster's Jack Crowley who will be disappointed with his lack of game time against Australia, Argentina and possibly Fiji.
As Sam Prendergast further cements his position as the heir-to-be to Ireland's ten jersey, Bernard Jackman has revealed that he foresees a new role for Jack Crowley that would have Ireland reverting back to a system rarely used on these shores since the emergence of the Sexton, O'Gara debate in 2011.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby's Quick Tap, Jackman revealed that he felt that while the Ireland jersey might be in Prendergast's grasp, the future of Ireland's attack might lie in Jack Crowley and Ciaran Frawley coming on as impact subs either to inside centre themselves or replacing Prendergast who could push out to twelve as well.
I don't think they frighten teams, as you mentioned we don't have that power to go through them, so its all being played away from the gainline and not really hurting teams.
Crowley gives you the ability to go to the line as a threat himself, I actually think the future for Ireland is a combination of one ten starting, one ten finishing.
I know this is controversial in England, but I don't know if we're going to have a ten who plays eighty minutes every week, we may have an impact player, a Frawley type who comes on as a second play maker, which will make us a little more dangerous.
Obviously with Bundee and Robbie today, they're very confrontational which is very important but didn't have that second play maker either where we were able to engage that line further out and then put someone through the hole. Plenty to ponder for our new attack coach Andrew Goodman.
You can hear what Jackman had to say on Ireland's out-half situation from around 12 minutes here:
Such an arrangement would likely give Ireland a more diverse attacking platform, with Jack Crowley offering a ball-carrying threat that Sam Prendergast does not yet possess, something Australia and Joe Schmidt appeared to identify and expose in last weekend's game.
While the revolving tens is not something that has been used at International level in Ireland to any great extent since RWC 2011, England used it to great success in recent years when Owen Farrell would make way for George Ford at ten and play outside him in the centre for the final twenty minutes of games.
Jackman's proposal would certainly add another threat to Ireland's currently underwhelming attack, but would also make room for two of Ireland's highest-performing players to appear on the same side.
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