Jack Crowley’s injury reopens debate who is Ireland’s best option in the playmaking role

Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley during a Six Nations match. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Jack Crowley’s season is over with the Munster out-half, who hasn’t played since mid-April, officially ruled out of Ireland’s three-match summer tour to Australia and New Zealand.

It’s a bitterly disappointing and underwhelming end to the campaign for the 26-year old whose form had regained the No.10 shirt with Ireland during the Six Nations and continued through the next month with his province.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell has kept the door open for injured players in the past but it is believed that this isn’t an option for the player who, according to Munster head coach Clayton McMillan last week, will need a month or two to recover.

Crowley’s absence will reopen the thorny question as to who is Ireland’s best options in the playmaking role with Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne and Ciaran Frawley all vying for what is maybe the most scrutinised shirt in Irish sport.

Others unavailable due to injury were Ryan Baird, Shayne Bolton, Jack Boyle, Edwin Edogbo, Tom Farrell, Mack Hansen, Paddy McCarthy, Calvin Nash and Andrew Porter. Caelan Doris will again act as captain.

James Lowe, due to leave for club rugby in Japan, is another whose name is missing.

As expected, it’s an experienced, battle-hardened group that will contest games against Australia in Sydney, Japan in Newcastle and New Zealand in Auckland with Caelan Doris again filling the brief as captain.

Farrell has kept the evolution of the squad ticking over by calling up three uncapped players, all of them from a Connacht side that went from strength to strength under new coach Stuart Lancaster as the season went on.

Billy Bohan had a brief spell in senior camp during the Six Nations and fellow front row Sam Illo gets to see the big time for the first time. Sean Jansen, who like Illo has featured for Emerging Ireland, gets the nod after an explosive campaign at No.8.

A small number of Munster, Connacht and Ulster players spent three days in a mini-camp in Abbotstown this week while their Leinster counterparts concentrate on Friday’s URC Grand Final with the Bulls. The Ireland squad leaves for Australia on Monday.