Bryan Keane

IT’S GOING TO be different and it might not be totally smooth at the start, but the new era at out-half for Ireland will certainly be intriguing. Gone is 119 Ireland caps worth of experience in Johnny Sexton, whose class was key in two Grand Slam wins and helped him to the World Rugby player of the year award in 2018. Maybe his successor or successors won’t reach the same heights but there is clearly talent in this position in Irish rugby.

El hombre de Munster terminó este Mundial como suplente de Johnny Sexton, saliendo del banquillo tres veces, incluido el gran partido de la fase de grupos contra Sudáfrica. Sin embargo, Crowley fue un sustituto no utilizado en la derrota de cuartos de final ante Nueva Zelanda. Ahora internacional en nueve ocasiones, hizo su debut en Irlanda en el otoño de 2022 y solo ha sido titular en tres pruebas.

The Munster man finished this World Cup as Johnny Sexton’s back-up, coming off the bench for him three times, including in the big pool-stage game against South Africa. However, Crowley was an unused replacement in the quarter-final defeat to New Zealand. Now capped nine times, he made his Ireland debut in the autumn of 2022 and has started just three Tests. 23-year-old Crowley has also only made 35 appearances for Munster, so he is not yet an experienced out-half.