Rob Kearney: Patience needed as Jack Crowley assumes Ireland's No 10 shirt
Rob Kearney in attendance during the Virgin Media Television Guinness 6 Nations Analyst Announcement.
Joe McCarthy, the youngest member of Ireland’s World Cup squad last year, was turning the corner from seven to eight years of age when Ireland last played a Six Nations campaign without Johnny Sexton. That was 2009.
So, when Andy Farrell names his squad for this year’s tournament shortly after lunchtime today it will be the first time in 15 seasons that Sexton’s name won’t be listed. That leaves the spotlight free to turn towards others.
The most obvious will be Jack Crowley.
Less than 12 months McCarthy’s elder, the Munster out-half will be among the 37 or so players listed in the IRFU’s missive today, but he is first among equals when it comes to assuming the shirt vacated by Sexton.
Rob Kearney can also see the case for Leinster’s 20-year Sam Prendergast being included in the squad, if only as a ‘development player’, on the basis he will likely be part of the team’s next World Cup assault in 2027 but he concurs that Crowley is the man right now.
Patience, the former Ireland full-back reasoned, will be essential.
“I’m not sure if it’s going to be a problem [replacing Sexton] but it is going to take some time before they get an out-half to the same calibre and quality. I’m not sure they are ever going to get an out-half so instrumental in terms of driving the whole culture of the team, driving other players, getting the best out of them.
“In so many ways Johnny was one of a kind. He’s left a massive void and it’s going to take some time. You’d have to say at the moment Jack Crowley is the front runner for it and he’s not played a huge amount of international Test rugby. Particularly with out-half you need an awful lot of time and he is going to need time.
“We need to be very patient with him in terms of allowing him that time. Do we want to compare him with Johnny the next two or three years? Is he going to reach those heights for another two or three years? I think it is very unlikely. It is not going to be a problem but it is a big void to fill.” If Crowley had a steering wheel he would still have that new car smell.
He still has just 44 games under his belt with Munster. Only eleven of those are of the Champions Cup variety. His Ireland career only extends to nine caps. Three of those are starts and he has yet to wear the No.10 shirt in the Six Nations.
The man chosen to assume the armband will be similarly light on experience.
Peter O’Mahony, James Ryan, Iain Henderson and Tadhg Furlong have all had the honour before but they always holding operations. Others, like Garry Ringrose and Dan Sheehan, have only led their clubs to date.
It’s a big call.
“Oh, listen, there is always responsibility and extra pressure on a captain,” said Kearney who will again be part of Virgin Television’s tournament coverage. “In terms of what plays you are going to call on a pitch, that will always fall on the No.10. Lineouts will always fall on the second row. James Ryan and Ian Henderson are both very good at calling them.
“In terms of the captain, again, you draw a line in the sand and you pick someone you expect to be your captain at a World Cup in four years’ time. Someone like a Caelan Doris has all the attributes now to start building him up to being an outstanding captain in four years’ time.” Virgin Media Television’s Six Nations coverage starts on Friday February 2nd with France v Ireland live on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Player. VMTV will also air Ireland’s home tie with Italy on Sunday, February 11th and their game against Scotland in Dublin on Saturday, March 16th.
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