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Published 17:05 20 Aug 2023 BST
Updated 17:08 20 Aug 2023 BST
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Ross Byrne and Cian Prendergast. (Credit: Sportsfile)[/caption]
Byrne did grow into the game as the second half progressed, most noticeably with a big hit on Elliot Daly and then finding man-of-the-match Mack Hansen with a skip-pass, before the winger scored out wide. Once more though, the gloss of his final 10 minutes will be over-shadowed by the appearance of Crowley. That conversion, followed by some fine tackles and an overall more energetic display, means that it is Byrne with all the work to do if he is to board Farrell Airways.For Cian Prendergast, this was always a shot to nothing. If he gets on the plane he will do so on the basis of a truly utility forward, covering second-row and back row. In only his fifth ever game starting at No.8, the rather odd selection must surely be to test him were Jack Conan fail to recover from injury in time for France. The 23-year-old’s inexperience at the back of the scrum was noticeable on occasions in the first-half, having the ball stripped on a couple of occasions, but he also won a couple of penalties on the deck, to his credit. Like Byrne, as the second period progressed so did Prendergast’s confidence. He carried hard and his tackling was his main attribute, not surprising as most of his back row experience is at six. It is likely to be a shoot-out between him and Joe McCarthy for that final forward spot and on this showing, the Kildare man’s versatility just might earn him a ticket. With one game to go in this summer series of warm-up tests, against Samoa in Bayonne next Saturday, Farrell will have the majority of his squad selected. Just don’t rule out a bolter or two. Byrne and Prendergast have their passports ready. Related Articles:
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