It is not Sam Prendergast’s fault that the Irish outhalf position has become a lightning rod for the perceived inequalities in Irish rugby.
At 22, Prendergast is already the player who attracts the most bellyaching and resentment for wearing the number 10 shirt. Such a young age to be placed in the middle of a positional scuffle and a rugby culture war.
But that is the cost, his worth questioned each time he steps on to the pitch with his critics waiting in the long grass. It should be noted that both Jack Crowley and Prendergast have said they have a very good relationship within the Irish squad.
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“Jack is a great lad and a great player . . . as much as people want to think we hate each other,” said Prendergast last month.
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Much of the noise around selection breaks down along provincial lines with Crowley taking up a place on the replacements' bench again, having been the heir apparent following Johnny Sexton’s retirement after the last World Cup.
Crowley has 22 Irish caps while on Saturday against France Prendergast will be winning his sixth. Still, Prendergast seems only one error away from somebody hollering for his head and sparking off another national debate.
It is a precarious place for the young Munster and Leinster players to be, but if Irish history has taught us one thing it is that the number 10 jersey often comes with external division. People can debate who is the best tighthead prop, steadiest fullback or most effective openside flanker, but outhalf is the Marmite position.
It is the position that sees most ball, makes most calls and executes the plays; marshals other players, decides strategy on the run, kicks goals and is central to how the team performs.
If the Aviva Stadium is a stage and the 15 Irish players are performers, the outhalf position has its own spotlight and often its own storyline.
It is also the place where strong preferences for one or other player reside, and where battle lines are drawn.
Be sure that as soon as the last note of Ireland’s Call floats high above Sandymount village, there will be those whose joy will know no bounds if Prendergast is run over by Gregory Alldritt in the first minute of play, who will toast him for missing a tackle or punting the ball out into the West Stand on the full with a spiral kick.
There will be those who will prefer to see the exposition of his mistakes and weakness more than his natural gifts and stellar potential flourishing.
The Ireland 10 position has always been one that invites conflict and personality clashes. As far back as 1979 Ollie Campbell and then European Player of The Year and Rugby Writers’ Player of the Year Tony Ward boarded a plane for Australia.
The fizz and sparkle of Ward was overlooked by the Irish selectors and Campbell, with one cap prior to the tour, was given the shirt as Ireland went on to win the series 2-0. But the drama around Campbell’s elevation and Ward’s demotion consumed as much attention as the tour success.
David Humphreys and Eric Elwood crossed paths before Humphreys and Ronan O’Gara engaged in a polite but sustained rivalry, one that strained under ambition. Again people were drawn into picking their preferred Ulster man or Munster man.
Johnny Sexton and O’Gara went at it like two middleweights going toe to toe, the younger Sexton a compelling and fiery personality against a battle-scarred Munster titan in another Munster/Leinster arm wrestle
Then this week as national contracts were being renewed, Leinster pushed their number out to 11 centrally contracted players. Connacht had two in Mack Hansen and Bundee Aki, Munster one in Tadhg Beirne and Ulster none. Neither Prendergast nor Crowley are among them.
Still, the drift in thinking towards Leinster being the favoured province with an unfair advantage over the others doesn’t have to be true or false for fault lines to begin to show, and for people to take a partisan position on what player should wear the Irish 10 shirt.
The subject was aired in 2021, when former Ulster coach Dan McFarland switched off the diplomacy filter in his chatter after he was told about Leo Cullen’s lack of props and outhalves for an upcoming match.
“Do I feel sorry for Leo? Are you joking!” said McFarland “He is sat in among 10 or 12 of the wealthiest schools in the country, plying people from rich families through those schools and churning out bursaries to the best prospects. Do I feel sorry for him? That’s hilarious.”
The leeching out into the public arena of a perceived bias has entered the outhalf debate, at least on social media, with Prendergast supporters staunchly Leinster and Crowley’s loyally Munster. It adds to the edge in selection and magnifies the performance of both players.
The starter in recent games has been Prendergast and in some people’s heads the matter is settled. However, in many others, it is not.
The reality is that the rivalry and debate around the two competing for one position has become enthralling and cut-throat. The great cruelty is that while the rivalry may not be what every coaching team wants, it is probably what every coaching team needs.
