Prendergast 'right man' to start for Ireland - Easterby

Simon Easterby has selected Sam Prendergast for Ireland's Six Nations opener

Ireland interim head coach Simon Easterby has said Sam Prendergast "is the right man" to start at number 10 against England in the Six Nations.

Leinster fly-half Prendergast, 21, will line up on Saturday after getting the nod ahead of Munster's Jack Crowley, who was named on the bench.

Easterby says there were "no pre-conceived ideas" around selection and the pair will "compete for a long time" for the starting jersey.

"This decision has gone Sam's way," said Easterby, who is taking charge of Ireland while Andy Farrell prepares to lead the British and Irish Lions.

"We think he has done really well in November and got a taste for international rugby.

"He then went away and played really well for Leinster in a good period for them, and he was a big part of that."

'It was one of the tough calls'

Easterby said Crowley "has a lot of credit in the bank" given his performances for Ireland, which included playing every minute of their Six Nations title win in 2024, adding that he will "impact the game in the right way".

"Even the way Jack has trained and played coming into the Six Nations means that Sam knows that he has to keep raising his game and keep getting better," said Easterby.

"It was one of the tough calls, but there was probably six or seven of those decisions throughout the team where we would have been happy to go with either player."

Easterby acknowledges that the other teams will be "trying to get ahead" of Ireland, who are aiming for an unprecedented third title in a row.

"We reflected on our performances around November but we felt like we had to keep evolving as a team," Easterby said.

"We need to keep pushing on. Other teams are going to see what we are doing and feel like they can get ahead of us. We know we have to keep progressing and getting better.

"We were pleased with how both of them [Prendergast and Crowley] went in November, and for the team to evolve those two need to keep evolving and getting better."

Listen to Ireland v England in the Six Nations (Saturday, 16:45 GMT) on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Ulster