Sexton is in a great position to help Crowley if he was unhappy with been rotated out of the team. Something Sexton has experience of and how to bounce back.
one sequence versus an overall consistent improvement. Yeah. Pull the other one.
Casey and Crowley played well and did manage to open up Australia
But they also came on when Australia had started to tire. While we are talking about balance.
I said before the game Crowley should start v England, after the game that hasn't changed.
I think Casey based on last two performance has jumped Murray onto the bench
I'd have thought we should all be happy that we have two promising outhalves to look forward to playing the 6Ns and having Frawley capable of stepping in, if the need arises.
Perhaps go and read the post by FtD. They go into detail what I was referring too. It was very noticeable
You must have missed him stopping Valentini 1 vs 1 so, or his excellent covering tackle on Galloway.
I don’t get why the suggestion that Prendergastchas a bit to go in his development is so offensive to some. I think in two years he will be first choice, but he is better served starting for zleinster fir a while first.
Was Crowley perfect when he came on. No. But he took us to and over the gain line repeatedly and ultimately it was that change in dymamic that won the game.
https://bsky.app/profile/overthehillprop.bsky.social/post/3lc75x5lqvc26
This clip kind of shows what i'm talking about. Australia just don't respect him as a runner here. I can see what Sam is doing. He is going to draw the second defender in and offload. He makes that choice too late though and honestly that's tough play. Australia knew he would be starting for three days or so. I think even beyond prendergast, teams are on to us slightly. They are giving us quick ruck ball but keeping guys on feet. Drifting on to passing options. This is exaggerated even more when you don't have a running threat. The plan is simple. Inside man has Sam, everyone else drifts on to passing options. There are two ways you can counter this. Get better at providing more options. Maybe there should he another out the back option here. Or you pick a ten that looks at that picture and just crash balls it and recycles. I think ireland philosophically prefer option 1 which explains alot about why they like prendergast so much. He is more of an extension of old sexton. Although, crowley funnily enough is way more young sexton.
He literally commits two players to tackle him in that clip. Yes he could have done better with the pass though it seems like a deliberate knock-on to me looking back at it.
I don't think its a good clip for what that person is trying to point out tbh (though I also think he has a massive chip on his shoulder and is just ranting frankly).
That's not what we were talking about though, was it? Our attacking shape did suffer after he came on. If we can give honest criticism for Prendergast, we can do the same for Crowley.
He doesn't commit two players really. He commits one and the other essentially blocks the passing lane. It's also very clear to me that the second tackler should't come in there. But again.. three days. Its a pretty easy game plan. Give teams more time, and you just make sure inside man on Sam, everyone stay, block the passing lanes. I would let sam prendergast crash ball all day against anyone one on one.
You realise that blocking the passing lane is what every team has been doing against us right?
The one where he got steamrolled and the ankle tap?
There's also this thing in the irish media that 'threatening the line' is a choice. I remember they were talking about ross byrne 'adding it into his game'.
In a sense it is. In URC week 7, you take it to the line and they will compress on you and you can pass late. That's valid. They flew in and spent 3 days preparing, and just run their normal system. However, against a team that specifically prepares for you in a big game, its not a choice. Its a function of athleticism. They will just let you come to the line and not compress. Because that's what you want. You want to pass so they won't give you that.
yea, its an obvious counter to our system. One way to get around that is to have a ten that can run.
the reality is there is plenty of promising out half’s coming through and prendergast is one of them. He might come good if given time to bulk up, fixes how he runs and learns to tackle.
The other reality is Crowley is the best out half in Ireland , he is at his age of 24 far superior to what sexton was at 24. kieran Frawley is also a very good out half and I would trust him 100% to be on the bench and who knows maybe even surpass Crowley. I would also rate Ross Byrne as way better then people give him credit for, he is the fall guy for a lot of people regards Leinster not winning cups when with due respect they might be better off looking at some of their forward pack.
Oh well if Joe Molloy thought it then it must be the case.
Ciaran Kennedy specifically said It on the 42 this week. You go and check yourself if you want, I can’t be arsed.
then why reply in the first place lol. Why do people do this to themselves online. Learn some self control and don't do things you don't like doing. Some free sunday morning advice.
Jonathan Sexton - our supposed backs coach, watched the game yesterday on his tv at home (per his own Instagram).
The absolute nonsense being talked on here of late is off the charts.
Mod Edit: Warning.
There are echo chambers available online where everyone will agree with you and tell you what you want to hear. Maybe try one of those.
Prendergast hopefully will come through in time but needs to get ahead in leinster and be ahead for all big games ahead of byrnes first and foremost. He doesn't need to bulk up much. If at all.
I don't think Byrne is way better than most gove him credit for. Where are the issues up front that are issues? Ross just isn't going to win you cups.
Sexton Was delivering a HC in 2009 at the age of 23.
Crowley is not in the same league as Sexton, long way to go there
As you said yourself earlier in the thread, this is the square root of FA
If by sufferer you mean went from Australia being able to easily mange in defence to us consistently make the gain line and stretch them
Well when the person I quoted said Crowley was better then Sexton at 24, I think that's nonsense. At 23/24/25 Sexton was winning multiple HCs
Crowley nowhere near that level yet, so of course the comparison means something
MOD: We are not here to moderate opinions or fact check people. Cut out the non-rugby discussion and accusations please.
He needs gametime and experience and he should get plenty over the coming months.
The idea that Australia easily neutralised our attack is obviously ridiculous. The biggest issue we had by far was our continued appalling handling with errors across the backline. Crowley obviously did well when he came on, but I thought Casey had the bigger impact. It was clear the Aussies were tiring and Casey managed to up the tempo. I think the discussion should move from whether he should replace Murray (obviously yes) to how much pressure he can put on JGP. Ultimately though, our only score with the new halfbacks was a maul from a lineout position we had gotten ourselves into multiple times prior but kept screwing up.
I actually don't disagree with you. 24 year old sexton was a better player i'd say. But the logic of team championships is a tricky one. Crowley 'delivered' a six nations at 23. Sexton didn't 'deliver' one til he was what.. 28/29?
Which of them won a 6Ns at 24?
Harry Byrne won a 6Ns at 24
![Photo of [Deleted User]](https://we.vanillicon.com/v2/e7ef1946e92d84157dc464ad6c3ddaab.svg)
