Jack Crowley likely to reclaim Ireland No.10 jersey for All Blacks clash

After a summer of refocus and restoration, Crowley’s stellar form for his province looks almost certain to be rewarded with a starting berth in Saturday’s Soldier Field renewal with the All Blacks

Jack Crowley before presser at the SeatGeek Stadium. Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Jack Crowley’s return to the Ireland No.10 jersey looks likely to be confirmed on this morning (Thursday) when Andy Farrell names his first starting XV since returning to retake the reins as Ireland head coach.

Munster out-half Crowley has started just one of Ireland’s last six Test matches against Tier 1 nations, also a starter against Portugal in an end-of-season meeting in July.

However after a summer of refocus and restoration, Crowley’s stellar form for his province, most pointedly in direct opposite to Leinster No.10 and international rival Sam Prendergast two weeks ago, looks almost certain to be rewarded with a starting berth in Saturday’s Soldier Field renewal with the All Blacks.

Back after his Lions sojourn, Farrell has had much to ponder ahead of the opening instalment of four autumn internationals. Having travelled Stateside last week to spend extended time on the ground here preparing, the Ireland coach and his support staff are hoping that a particularly intense session last Saturday has helped provide the kind of intensity his panel, short of big-game minutes as so many worked back from Lions duty, has desperately needed.

One dilemma centres on whether to thrust captain Caelan Doris back in from the start as he returns from shoulder surgery having not played since May. Ryan Baird’s back row candidacy is in focus too with assistant coach Paul O’Connell praising the Leinster man’s work.

Centres Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw have shaken off injury concerns to join the deliberations while Jacob Stockdale’s superb form for Ulster has him pushing for a wing berth. Jamie Osborne is likely to be asked to fill the void left by Hugo Keenan’s absence at full back.

Farrell will be up early Thursday morning and name his team at breakfast time local, around 1pm Irish time, with his All Blacks counterpart Scott Robertson showing his hand later in the afternoon.