Ireland's Prendergast gets first Six Nations start as McCarthy ruled out
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn Internationals - Ireland v Fiji - Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland - November 23, 2024 Ireland's Sam Prendergast scores the conversion following their fifth try REUTERS/Clodagh Kilcoyne/File photo
DUBLIN :Ireland flyhalf Sam Prendergast will start his first Six Nations game in Saturday's opener against England and marshal an almost full strength side as the holders bid to win a third successive title for the first time.
The 21-year-old Prendergast has impressed greatly for club and country since making his Ireland debut in November and edges out Munster flyhalf Jack Crowley, who helped guide the Irish to the title last year in his breakthrough campaign.
"We feel like he's the right man this weekend to lead the team. He's a lot of experience around him and even the way Jack has trained and played coming into the Six Nations means that Sam knows he's got to keep raising his game and keep getting better," Ireland interim coach Simon Easterby told a news conference.
"Those two are going to play a lot of rugby and they are going to compete with each other, along with a few others... for a long time, I think."
Lock Joe McCarthy, who has started Ireland's 11 previous games, joined prop Tadhg Furlong on Ireland's short injury list, paving the way for Ryan Baird to come into the backrow to start just his seventh test, with Tadhg Beirne moving to second row.
McCarthy took a "nasty blow" to the head in training on Wednesday that ruled him out Saturday's game straight away but will not be a long-standing issue, Easterby said.
Leinster's Baird has won the majority of his 24 caps off the bench and played a part in each of Ireland's Six Nations games last season.
Finlay Bealham comes in as an increasingly trusted back-up for the often-injured Furlong, whose latest calf injury is not a "major issue" but not one Ireland could take a chance on this weekend, Easterby added.
First choice hooker Dan Sheehan is also back among a bench loaded with firepower and experience after being named man of the match and scoring two tries for Leinster in his comeback from an ACL injury on Saturday.
There was no place in the matchday squad for Peter O'Mahony, who captained Ireland to success last year, with the fit again Jack Conan preferred on the bench.
"We've left a couple of very good players out of the squad to pick Ryan (Baird)," Easterby said of the backrow competition.
"It's been a very difficult decision to pick a 15, as well as a 23."
Team:
15-Hugo Keenan, 14-Mack Hansen, 13-Garry Ringrose, 12-Bundee Aki, 11-James Lowe, 10-Sam Prendergast, 9-Jamison Gibson-Park, 8-Caelan Doris (captain), 7-Josh van der Flier, 6-Ryan Baird, 5-Tadhg Beirne, 4-James Ryan, 3-Finlay Bealham, 2-Ronan Kelleher, 1-Andrew Porter
Replacements: 16-Dan Sheehan, 17-Cian Healy, 18-Thomas Clarkson, 19-Iain Henderson, 20-Jack Conan, 21-Conor Murray, 22-Jack Crowley, 23-Robbie Henshaw
