FOR JUST THE 13th time in his Leinster career, Ciarán Frawley starts at out-half today.
He’s always seen himself as a number 10 and wanted to play there.
But just two months before his 27th birthday, the Skerries man is still in the position of building experience as an out-half, learning how to lead a team from the key tactical and decision-making position.
Even last weekend against Benetton, when Frawley was handed the number 10 shirt, there was the frustration of having to shift into midfield when an injury to wing Jimmy O’Brien meant a backline reshuffle as Ross Byrne came on at out-half.
There’s the potential for something similar today against Munster [KO 5.45pm, RTÉ/Premier Sports], too given that Leinster have two out-halves on the bench in Byrne and his younger brother, Harry. Frawley will be hoping for as close to 80 minutes at out-half as possible.
Opposite Frawley today will be Jack Crowley, nearly three years his junior but a more experienced front-line out-half. Crowley had his own frustrations in getting going as a starting out-half but today will be his 32nd in the number 10 shirt for Munster, while he has started 10 Tests for Ireland there whereas Frawley has yet to start a game at out-half for Ireland.
Crowley would say himself that he’s still got lots to learn, having only taken over as Ireland’s first choice this year, but he is the incumbent starter under Andy Farrell.
Frawley was the most recent man to steer the ship for Ireland from out-half, delivering two superb long-range drop goals to guide them to their second-ever win over the Springboks on South African soil in July, so he came into this season with obvious momentum.
Leinster have signalled that they’re open-minded about the out-half pecking order this season despite having backed Ross Byrne as the clear first choice in 2023/24.
21-year-old Sam Prendergast is also right in the mix and impressed on the Emerging Ireland tour, so it promises to be a fantastic battle.
In that sense, today at Croke Park is clearly an opportunity for Frawley to make a big statement. It might be a regular-season game but with 82,300 fans bringing noise and pressure, this is an elevated occasion.
Frawley had made a strong start last weekend before shifting to inside centre. He found a superb touch in the Benetton 22 after a turnover in midfield, he looked confident in calling the shots, he put his 6ft 3ins, 100kg frame to good use in a physical sense, and he started and finished a stunning Leinster try.
That score involved Frawley playing a clever delayed pass to free Garry Ringrose from inside his own 22 before the out-half followed up to seal the deal. Frawley received a brilliant pass from Jamison Gibson-Park and instantly switched the ball into his right hand in order to free his left for a powerful fend on Tommaso Menoncello. All in all, it was a fine demonstration of the skill and athleticism Frawley brings to out-half.
Given how little he has been a starting out-half, the biggest challenge for him will be calling the plays and making big tactical decisions for his team. The out-half remains the driver of most sides and they need to understand everyone’s roles as well as their own. They need to lead the week’s preparation, taking vocal leadership, and serve almost as an extra coach. The game plan revolves around them. The quality of an out-half’s work in this regard is impossible to assess from the outside, but it’s crucial. Frawley has always wanted this burden and now he gets the chance to show it rests easily.
Crowley has quickly got used to calling the shots. Like Frawley, he has played at inside centre and fullback for his province but took over as the main man at out-half towards the end of Graham Rowntree’s first season in charge and hasn’t looked back.
Crowley had already made his Ireland debut at that stage, an impressive Emerging Ireland tour accelerating his progress under Farrell, and he was in prime position to take over at out-half upon Johnny Sexton’s retirement after the 2023 World Cup.
Crowley did an excellent job guiding Ireland to their Six Nations title this year and it’s worth remembering that he also played a major role in Ireland beating the Springboks in July. The Munster man made a few errors in the first Test but was having a fine game in the second before Farrell sent Frawley into the fray.
Every coach wants their starters to feel pressure for their place and if Frawley can continue where he left off, that’s more likely to be the case for Crowley.
But at the same time, it’s hard to know if this is always the best thing for an out-half. Sometimes they need to know that they really are the number one in order to feel comfortable enough to take full ownership of the team, to be the key voice in the room at all times.
Many out-halves, including Sexton, say it’s difficult to lead the team if you’re not sure the coach sees you as the top dog. This is interesting in both a Leinster and Ireland context.
Crowley knows he is king in Munster and it suits him at this stage of his development, as he continues to develop his tactical understanding and decision-making. Leinster’s open-mindedness about their out-half slot seems smart in one way but a player like Frawley would love to get the sense that he’s being fully backed to drive the first-choice team on for the rest of the campaign. The same applies to Crowley and Ireland.
But really that second point about pressure coming onto Crowley in the Ireland set-up only applies if Frawley makes the first point null and void by delivering dominant performances at out-half for Leinster.
Prendergast and the Byrnes will have a thing or two to say about the matter but Frawley is the one who gets the big shot today. Meanwhile, Crowley has a chance to underline his status as the number one Irish out-half four weeks out from the All Blacks clash.
