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Irish Daily Mirror
14-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Ireland's summer tour leaves fans wondering 'what was the point?'
Ireland ended their Summer tour with a comprehensive hammering of Portugal, beating the European side on a scoreline of 106 to 7. With the win, a number of records were set by Ireland including the most points they have ever scored in a test match (106), the highest margin of victory (99), the most tries in a match (16) and the most conversion landed (12). But despite these numbers, many fans were left disappointed by the tour as a whole and questioned the reasoning behind it. While Ireland's first game with Georgia was more competitive (34-5), they're drubbing of Portugal was seen by many as a pointless exercise. Speaking to Virgin Sports, interim manager Paul O'Connell summed up the situation by saying: "I feel sorry for Portugal, but we were very clinical and took our chances. 'It is a unique summer tour given the Lions tour is on at the same time, but I am very happy with how our squad applied themselves. 'It is great to get some guys capped and scoring tries and training in an international environment.' When have you ever heard an Irish coach apologising to the opposition for beating them so badly? Never, and that's because things like this shouldn't really happen. Ireland will have gained no benefit from that Portugal game at all. The performance makes no difference to Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley's duel for the number 10 shirt, and while Craig Casey was Tour captain, he hardly needed to exhibit too many leadership qualities across the 80 minutes on Saturday. Yes, some players made their debuts, but can anyone really say they impressed in a fixture like that? Making matters worse, Ireland cruised past two teams who are miles behind them and they did it with what amounts to a 'C' team as so many of the top Irish stars are on Lions duty. They even did it without head coach Andy Farrell and number two Simon Easterby. I'm sure some readers will be wondering why people are wondering why this article is being so negative. Well, just take a quick look on social media and you will see that most fans believe this two tour test series - particularly the Portugal game - was a pointless endeavour. Here's a selection of the comments under an Irish Rugby post that boasted about setting these records against Portugal: "Can somebody explain the logic behind this kind of fixture?" "Not sure anyone learnt anything from that…" "Absolutely joke. @IrishRugby should be ashamed of themselves for arranging this fixture. How the hell can Portugal come back from this? Pathetic." "What's the point in this game?" "Waste of a game." "What's the point of that?" "Pointless game though" "What a load of pointless rubbish. And Portugal is the 21st Nation that Ireland has awarded caps for playing against! Think about that. More teams play hockey." 14-uncapped players were named by O'Connell in the squad this Summer. How many of them or any of the squad in for that matter will in Ireland camp in November or next Spring for the Six Nations? Another Emerging Ireland tour with uncapped youngsters playing players of similar or better quality would have been far more beneficial. Maybe players could have been given time to sharpen up on their skills. Sam Prendergast for example is often criticised for his tackling technique. Would he not have been better served using these Summer months to hone his craft and put on some size away from the spotlight? Or better yet, maybe players could have been given a much needed summer off after a long season. Next up for Ireland is a test match in November with the New Zealand All Blacks, a match that promises to be far more competitive and indeed beneficial to the team.
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Crowley has chance to follow 'excellent' Prendergast display
Ireland interim head coach Paul O'Connell says Jack Crowley has the opportunity to "follow up" on Sam Prendergast's "excellent" performance in the win over Georgia in Saturday's Test against Portugal. With Crowley having started Ireland's final Six Nations game, Prendergast shone on his return to the line-up in Tbilisi, converting all six of his kicks off the tee in a 34-5 Irish win in tough conditions. The 22-year-old, who also had what would have been his first international try ruled out, is not included in the matchday squad for this weekend's contest at Estadio Nacional do Jamor in Lisbon. "It's a very important position, out-half, I think more and more important in the game than it's ever been," said O'Connell, who has led Ireland's summer tour while head coach Andy Farrell is away with the British and Irish Lions. "They probably don't touch the ball as much as the nines, but they probably make more decisions than anyone else on the field and they really decide how we play the game. Having two guys that are confident, that we believe in, that get to get in and play our way and make mistakes and learn and get it right and learn from that as well is really important. "It's just an opportunity for Jack to own the week and run it and get after it. It's great for us, the two of them are quite supportive of each other, they learn a lot from each other, so it's just a brilliant opportunity for us to give more experience to Jack." O'Connell praised Leinster out-half Prendergast's performance and kicking accuracy in the win over Georgia. "When you get a lead of more than two scores in those conditions, it's very tough to come from behind we were able to keep them at arm's length with our kicking game and his kicking made a big contribution to it. "He also added a layer of unpredictability to our attack in tough conditions and led the group really well. The feedback from [forwards coach] Colm Tucker and the guys that were bringing the water on was he was leading the group really well. We're delighted with him and it's an opportunity to Jack to follow up."O'Connell has handed debuts to Shayne Bolton, Alex Kendellen and Hugh Gavin in a team showing six changes as Ireland prepare for their last game until they face the All Blacks in Chicago on 1 are ranked 18th in the world, seven places below Georgia, but they scored three tries in a 64-21 loss to world champions South Africa last year and that has not escaped O'Connell's notice. "They take a lot of quick taps, a lot of quick lie-outs, they want to play quickly, they've very good backs, nippy backs," said O'Connell."I was on to [South Africa defence coach] Jerry Flannery there, they conceded three tries when they played against South Africa. "Their backs are quite a threat, so the ball will get more air from both sides. We want to play with the ball more than we did with Georgia, but we're happy enough not to play with it if it's conditions like last week."
Extra.ie
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Three players that stood out in Ireland's win over Georgia
As the skies opened in Tblisi, it was Ireland that were able to get the better of their hosts, finishing off with a comfortable 34-5 win. It was a lightning-fast start in the storm as Ireland raced to a 14-point lead after just eight minutes. But when the rain came pouring down, the game became more and more sluggish and the Georgians crept back into the match. Ireland's lack of accuracy in the red zone let the hosts off and after a succession of penalties, Georgia crossed over for their only try with the last play of the half. At 14-5, there might have been some halftime nerves but they were eased as Craig Casey crossed over a few seconds into the second half on his debut as captain. Jacob Stockdale of Ireland Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile As expected, the Georgians were immensely physical and offered a challenge not many other sides can. However, as the game got away from them and they had less time to mount a comeback, Georgia's discipline went. Prendergast put the game beyond doubt with two penalty kicks before Nick Timoney got a try in only his fourth cap, having waited patiently for opportunities since his last cap in 2022. A win is a win and should be celebrated as such, especially so with so many players and coaches unavailable because of the Lions tour. Tommy O'Brien It was a dream debut for Tommy O'Brien as the Leinster winger continued on from his sensational second half of the season by scoring two first half tries. His first one came after the first minute and it came from a beautiful take from a delicate Sam Prendergast chip, meanwhile his second was a great winger's finish after gathering a bounce pass from Prendergast again. Tommy O'Brien of Ireland scores his side's first try Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile O'Brien has made a name for himself in the second half of the season for Leinster with his immense work rate and pace. His pace is something Ireland doesn't really have and under the tutelage of Nienaber, his defence is second to none. His fellow winger Jacob Stockdale should also get a mention after a great contribution, but a shoulder injury forced him off in the first half. Sam Prendergast After a rough spell following the France loss, Sam Prendergast showed everyone why he has been backed by many to go to the top. His telepathy with O'Brien got Ireland their first two scores and he was conducting play at aplomb. He also slotted all of his kicks from the tee which was a welcome change from his kicking form at Leinster towards the end of the season. Sam Prendergast of Ireland against Georgia Pic:Brendan Moran/Sportsfile Under the pressure of the monstrous Georgian pack, Prendergast didn't back down from the challenge. He actually exploited Georgia's aggressive line speed with some beautiful little dinks as seen in O'Brien's first score. Crowley should get the opportunity to start next week in Lisbon but Prendergast can come away from this summer series with his head held high. Craig Casey Since returning from injury, Casey has been on a sensational run which saw many feel that he was harshly left out of the Lions squad. Coming in for his first game as captain, the scrumhalf showed exactly why O'Connell went for the Limerick man to lead the side. It's not just his leadership skills but Casey's tempo has also picked up, becoming a perfect foil in this Ireland attack. Craig Casey of Ireland is tackled by Giorgi Kveseladze Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile His box kicking was also commendable with a few nice chips over the back of rucks helping get Ireland in good positions while also scoring the try of the night. He could really push for Gibson-Park's spot soon, especially with the form he is in.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sexton told Ireland fly-halves to 'delete social media'
Johnny Sexton told Ireland fly-halves Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley to "delete social media" in order to guard themselves from online commentary during the early stages of their careers. Following Sexton's retirement, there has been an intense debate over whether Leinster fly-half Prendergast or Munster's Crowley should become his long-term successor. Advertisement Sexton says both players have "the world at their feet", but the 39-year-old is dismayed by how their competitive rivalry has highlighted the "split" between Leinster and Munster fans. The former Ireland and Leinster captain experienced something similar at the start of his Test career when he battled Munster great Ronan O'Gara for the shirt. "One thing I disagree with is the narrative around it in terms of there's obviously a split in the country in terms of Munster and Leinster," said Sexton, who has worked with Prendergast and Crowley since November in his role as Ireland kicking coach. "I've been there before, I've been in that situation. With social getting bigger and bigger, it's tough on them at times. We should be supporting whoever is picked and getting fully behind them." Advertisement Sexton, who admitted his rivalry with O'Gara during the formative stages of his Test career was "tough", said he is not sure if Prendergast or Crowley have been affected by the online discourse. "Sometimes you can get a sense, but I'm not sure. All you can do is try to advise in terms of what worked for me," added the five-time Six Nations winner. "I was exposed to it a little bit at the very start and it's tough because as a kid, all you want to do is play for Ireland and then you do it and suddenly you're getting criticised, not all the time, but sometimes and you're like, 'wow, this is tougher than I thought it'd be', but it builds a resilience. "You find out who are your mates, who you can trust and those you can lean on. Going forward, they'll be stronger for it." Advertisement While Sexton feels Prendergast and Crowley deserve time to prove their worth, he believes they are already ahead of where he was at the same stage of his career. "The work ethic they have, they're humble guys," added Sexton, who will continue to work with Ireland's fly-halves in a full-time capacity after he completes his British and Irish Lions coaching duties this summer. "They want to learn and practice hard and that's the thing you look at the most as a coach; the attitude and how humble they are because ultimately that's what will stand to them going forward."
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sexton told Ireland fly-halves to 'delete social media'
Johnny Sexton told Ireland fly-halves Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley to "delete social media" in order to guard themselves from online commentary during the early stages of their careers. Following Sexton's retirement, there has been an intense debate over whether Leinster fly-half Prendergast or Munster's Crowley should become his long-term successor. Advertisement Sexton says both players have "the world at their feet", but the 39-year-old is dismayed by how their competitive rivalry has highlighted the "split" between Leinster and Munster fans. The former Ireland and Leinster captain experienced something similar at the start of his Test career when he battled Munster great Ronan O'Gara for the shirt. "One thing I disagree with is the narrative around it in terms of there's obviously a split in the country in terms of Munster and Leinster," said Sexton, who has worked with Prendergast and Crowley since November in his role as Ireland kicking coach. "I've been there before, I've been in that situation. With social getting bigger and bigger, it's tough on them at times. We should be supporting whoever is picked and getting fully behind them." Advertisement Sexton, who admitted his rivalry with O'Gara during the formative stages of his Test career was "tough", said he is not sure if Prendergast or Crowley have been affected by the online discourse. "Sometimes you can get a sense, but I'm not sure. All you can do is try to advise in terms of what worked for me," added the five-time Six Nations winner. "I was exposed to it a little bit at the very start and it's tough because as a kid, all you want to do is play for Ireland and then you do it and suddenly you're getting criticised, not all the time, but sometimes and you're like, 'wow, this is tougher than I thought it'd be', but it builds a resilience. "You find out who are your mates, who you can trust and those you can lean on. Going forward, they'll be stronger for it." Advertisement While Sexton feels Prendergast and Crowley deserve time to prove their worth, he believes they are already ahead of where he was at the same stage of his career. "The work ethic they have, they're humble guys," added Sexton, who will continue to work with Ireland's fly-halves in a full-time capacity after he completes his British and Irish Lions coaching duties this summer. "They want to learn and practice hard and that's the thing you look at the most as a coach; the attitude and how humble they are because ultimately that's what will stand to them going forward."
