Stand-in Ireland captain Craig Casey possesses “all the leadership qualities” required to spearhead his country’s summer tour, according to interim attack coach Mike Prendergast.
With 15 Ireland players involved with the British and Irish Lions and regular skipper Caelan Doris sidelined, Munster scrum-half Casey will lead a youthful squad into next month’s Tests against Georgia and Portugal.
The 26-year-old, who is also coached by Prendergast at provincial level, has accumulated 18 caps since making his debut against Italy in 2021 but only six of those appearances have come as a starter.
“He’s full of energy, he’s a student of the game,” Prendergast said of Casey, according to the Irish Examiner.
Georgia
Ireland
“Guys will listen because he’s a guy who is incredibly diligent.
“He’s all over his stuff and you always want people to follow that. So he hasn’t been any different than what he would be down in Munster.
“Obviously through the week and through next week that will ramp up from his point of view, I would imagine.
“But he brings a really good calmness to people as well. It’s great to have him within the squad and as a captain. He has all the leadership qualities that you ask for from a person.”
Ireland play Georgia on Saturday, July 5 in Tbilisi before taking on Portugal a week later in Lisbon.
With head coach Andy Farrell away leading the Lions in Australia, forwards coach Paul O’Connell is in temporary charge of the team.
Prendergast was drafted in as cover for Andrew Goodman, who – along with Ireland defence coach Simon Easterby and scrum coach John Fogarty – is also on Lions duty.
The 48-year-old believes the three contenders for Ireland’s starting fly-half role have a “very good dynamic”.
Leinster’s Sam Prendergast took the number 10 jersey from Munster’s Jack Crowley last autumn, with Ciaran Frawley the other option available to O’Connell.
“In terms of what I’ve seen so far, they’re pushing each other,” Prendergast said of the trio, according to BBC Sport.
“I always speak about being competitive and getting the best out of each other.
“The way you get the best out of each other is being competitive. From what I’ve seen, there’s a very good dynamic there.”
