Farrell would have loved to see one of his fly-halves definitively seize the 10 jersey during his Lions sabbatical.
It didn’t quite pan out that way. Sam Prendergast, who made his Test debut in last year’s autumn series, began the Six Nations as the starting 10.
However, after a tough afternoon against a rampant France, he dropped to the bench behind Jack Crowley for Ireland’s final game in Italy.
Neither player made Farrell’s Lions squad and they started one summer Test apiece for Ireland, leaving the picture unclear heading into the autumn.
They are, however, poised to play against each other for the first time in Saturday’s interpro at Croke Park. Crowley has enjoyed the stronger start to the 2025-26 season, but both players have one last chance to shape Farrell’s thinking before Chicago.
Harry Byrne has also attracted positive reviews recently. Keen to accelerate his development, he joined Bristol on loan for the second half of the 2024-25 season and impressed in his first Leinster start in over a year against an admittedly poor Sharks side last weekend.
Byrne, who last played for Ireland in the 2024 Six Nations, may be included in the squad, but the 10 jersey for the All Blacks game is Prendergast or Crowley’s to claim.
