The uncapped duo of 21-year-old Leinster hooker Gus McCarthy and 24-year-old Ulster backrower Cormac Izuchukwu are set to be named in the Ireland starting line-up to face Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 3.10pm).
The team and replacements will be announced at 2pm on Thursday and after making his Test debut off the bench last week against Argentina, it appears as if Sam Prendergast will make his full international debut by being named at outhalf.
McCarthy was captain of the Ireland Under-20 side which won the Grand Slam and reached the final of the Under-20 World Cup in Cape Town two seasons ago, with Prendergast the team’s star turn. McCarthy has been exposed to plenty of rugby this season, due to injuries for Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, and has backed up his strong performances in the Emerging Ireland tour by impressing the Irish coaches in this November window.
Born in London to an Irish mother and Nigerian father, Izuchukwu started playing in Tullamore RFC and has made a rapid rise since the latter stages of last season. A video compilation of his highlights while playing with Kelo in Scotland was sent to Anthony Eddy and brought Izuchukwu into the Ireland Sevens fold, which in turn led to a place in the Ulster academy.
Given a run of games by Richie Murphy toward the end of last season, Izuchukwu caught the eye with his ball-carrying and athleticism, and also impressed the Irish coaches on the Emerging Ireland tour.
Whereas McCarthy was named as one of five additional ‘training panellists’ Izuchukwu was one of the two uncapped players in the 35-man squad which Andy Farrell named for the Autumn Nations Series, along with Prendergast.
Hence, it always appeared likely that the Ulster flanker had been earmarked for a debut against Fiji, all the more so when Ryan Baird was ruled out with another head injury.
In the aftermath of the 22-19 win over Argentina, Farrell spoke of what goes into the decision to blood young players.
“You need to put the right people in place around them so that they’re able to give the best version of themselves,” cautioned Farrell. “Otherwise, you set them up to fail.”
Accordingly, it could be that Caelan Doris again captains the side, with Josh van der Flier retained at openside alongside Izuchukwu.
By contrast, Prendergast’s rise has been the most meteoric ever since he showcased his brilliant playmaking skills in that memorable 2022-23 Ireland Under-20 campaign. He was the one player to start all three of the Emerging Ireland tour games and Farrell has scarcely concealed his admiration for the Kildare outhalf, not least after his composed debut in the last 18 minutes against Los Pumas last Friday night.
Prendergast was fast-tracked into both the Leinster and Ireland squads, with Farrell bringing him on that Ireland tour to South Africa. He is now set to be handed the keys to unlocking the Fijian defence and withstanding their array of big carriers after just 20 games for Leinster, of which a mere eight have been starts.
Jamie Osborne also had an eye-catching third cap off the bench against Argentina at inside centre, having seamlessly filled Hugo Keenan’s boots in Ireland’s two-Test tour to South Africa at fullback, and is in line to start there against the Flying Fijians.
Bundee Aki could be recalled in order to renew his old midfield partnership with Robbie Henshaw, and Jacob Stockdale’s try-scoring form and evident self-confidence may be rewarded with a recall, while Craig Casey is set to be promoted to scrumhalf.
All the signs are that Ciarán Frawley will be recalled to the matchday squad as cover at outhalf, with Jack Crowley afforded a week off, while a memorable day for the Prendergast family could be augmented by Sam’s older brother, Cian, being included in the 23 as well, with the Connacht captain set to be named on the bench.
It also appears as if Cian Healy may have to wait another week before eclipsing Brian O’Driscoll’s record of 133 Irish caps, which the prop equalled last weekend.
IRELAND (possible v Fiji): Jamie Osborne (Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), Bundee Aki (Connacht), Jacob Stockdale (Ulster); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Craig Casey (Munster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Finlay Bealham (Connacht); Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Cormac Izuchukwu (Ulster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Caelan Doris (Leinster, capt).
Replacements: Rob Herring (Ulster), Tom O’Toole (Ulster), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster), James Ryan (Leinster), Cian Prendergast (Connacht), Conor Murray (Munster), Ciarán Frawley (Leinster), Garry Ringrose (Leinster).
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