James Lowe's Leinster and Ireland future still up in the air as record beckons

James Lowe, right, and Ciarán Frawley during a Leinster Rugby Squad training session. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

It’s not quite the case of all eyes being on James Lowe when Leinster and the Lions meet on Saturday.

The recall to No.10 of Sam Prendergast for that URC quarter-final has generated debate and there is plenty more in Leo Cullen’s selection to get the teeth into as he looks to shake things up after last weekend’s Champions Cup disappointment.

But Lowe’s return to the wing is definitely among those issues front and centre.

Now 33 and off a season interrupted by injury, he has played just seven times for Leinster and scored only two tries. 

Currently playing on a contract due to expire this summer, negotiations on a new deal have not found a middle ground. It could be that Lowe moves on after nine years.

Leo Cullen was unwilling to dig into the weeds of any contractual talk on Thursday but did say that conversations are ongoing. Whatever happens next, the Leinster head coach was unstinting in his praise for the player.

"He's an energy giver and he's very different to all our fellas.” 

Lowe will earn his 100th Leinster cap this weekend. Score a try, his 70th for the club, and he would leave Shane Horgan behind and claim sole ownership of the record for five-pointers claimed in a blue shirt.

Horgan, by comparison, played over 200 times for Leinster.

“It's a pretty phenomenal strike rate that James has had. So he brings finishing. What's the number one job for a winger? It's to score tries. His strike rate is incredible and it's his power game as well.

“At weekend against Bordeaux we were pretty poor in terms of our execution inside the opposition 22. It was really poor. We had more entries than Bordeaux had so we were doing lots of good things to get to those positions but our actual...

“When we got in there we weren't good enough across the board. Together as a team we need to do better but someone like James brings proper genuine power, change-up, his ability to finish when you get close to the tryline.

“He's been brilliant for the group. I've loved working with James. Listen, he's a great character. Hopefully he kicks on. Bar Shane Horgan, everyone will be delighted if he does score a try this weekend.” 

One man who isn’t going anywhere is Prendergast who, after losing his place with club and country in recent months, has now been named at out-half for this latest knockout tie with Harry Byrne dropping to the bench and Ciaran Frawley going unused.

It’s a stunning selection given Frawley’s effort as a replacement against Bordeaux and Prendergast’s ongoing struggles in defence. Cullen has called on fans to rally around the 23-year-old and touched on the sometimes toxic comments over the Ireland ten debate online.

“We all need to get behind Sam because we see him as a huge part of the future of not just Leinster, but Irish rugby as well. Everyone heard Andy Farrell speak during the Six Nations when Sam and Jack [Crowley] were fighting it out for the starting role there.

“It's making sure that we continue to back our young players to bring them through because you're trying to perform at the top level of the game.”