After initial 'rude awakening' Craig Casey thrived against Fiji

Casey said Ireland's rookie out-half Sam Prendergast is "so calm for a 21-year old".

PUTTING HIS HAND UP: Ireland's Craig Casey dives to the corner to score a try against Fiji. Picture: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Less than ten minutes through Ireland’s business with Fiji on Saturday and you had to fear for Craig Casey. By then, the pint-sized Munster scrum-half had been bounced twice by two monstrous forwards. There was another point in the first-half when he was dragged over the sideline like a black bag on bin day.

No fear.

By the end, Casey hadn't just survived the 80 minutes but thrived with it. He claimed a try, kicked a conversion with his out-half temporarily off the pitch and gave a performance at the base of the rucks that was integral to the pace and shape that Andy Farrell’s side used to discommode what should have been a dangerous opponent.

“The first ten minutes were a bit of a rude awakening. I got sent to the ground twice but it’s all part of playing teams like Fiji, I think. Serious, serious athletes. Going into it you are almost expecting it and trying to hype yourself up for the hits.

“Just mistimed them but I will learn from it. As a game I thought it was a very good one. I thought we stamped our way and our game on it well. They are a very good side and I think you saw that over their autumn games so a good win.” 

Farrell had made wholesale changes from the team and squad that just about squeaked over the line against Argentina eight days before. It was a risky ploy given the problems Fiji gave in 2017 and 2022 but the result was about as good as anyone could have wished.

Gus McCarthy had a dream debut, Cormac Izuchukwu’s Test bow went swimmingly and Casey was one among a handful of others who have been looking for greater opportunity and took their chance to further future involvements.

It was no small thing given all that change and the threat to the team’s cohesion.

“We’re kind of used to it. Everyone knows the detail in and around the squad. Everyone has trained in groups over the last few weeks. In Portugal we mixed and matched who was with each other over the whole week and that week before Tests gives you nice variety who you were training with.

“I mean, I was very comfortable playing with Sam [Prendergast], we’ve got a good relationship, as it would be with any of the tens. The young lads coming into the squad – I’m not old – but the lads getting their debuts were class all week and gave great confidence to everyone.” 

Casey is getting plenty of time on the park with Jack Crowley at provincial level but he complemented Prendergast perfectly against the Pacific Islanders, the only wobble coming when the out-half got himself sinbinned for a high challenge early on.

“Very good, very happy with him,” said Casey who was earning his 17th cap and just his sixth start. 

“The yellow card obviously wasn’t ideal and he probably wasn’t happy with that himself but he is just so calm for a 21-year old.

“It’s crazy how calm he is, nothing flusters him so you saw when he came back on how calm he was. He just drove us on and didn’t let it affect him whatsoever. Brilliant.” 

Casey made an interesting observation when asked about the competition for places in the squad now. He spoke about people “getting a bit more comfortable with themselves” and bringing their own game to the environment and to the pitch.

It certainly makes for a lighter mood than the one which prevailed on the back of that non-performance and convincing loss to New Zealand at the start of the month when a hugely experienced and settled squad never got to grips with the game at hand.

Farrell has said that his team would improve as the month went on and that has clearly been the case even allowing for the decreasing strength in the sides faced. Casey wasn’t the first in acknowledging the disappointment felt after that All Blacks dip but this was much better.

“This was a step forward again. We probably put our game onto them more than the other games, although I thought the first-half last week was outstanding. We just needed to do it for 80 minutes. We probably did it for 75 this time. It’s all about next week now.” 

Australia’s improvements on their European tour have been many and obvious and the fact that it is Joe Schmidt at the helm will add significantly to the pre-match build-up and to the intrigue when the sides face off next Saturday.

Casey is one of a growing number in the Ireland squad who never worked under Schmidt during his time here but the respect for the Kiwi’s body of work with Leinster and with the national team remains and, with that, a level of wariness.

“He will have them psyched up,” said Casey. “You can see the improvement in them already. It’s going to be a colossal Test match and they have a few freak players as well. Should be a good one.”