Stand-in Ireland captain Craig Casey possesses “all of the management qualities” required to spearhead his nation’s summer season tour, in line with interim assault coach Mike Prendergast.
With 15 Eire gamers concerned with the British and Irish Lions and common skipper Caelan Doris sidelined, Munster scrum-half Casey will lead a youthful squad into subsequent month’s Assessments towards Georgia and Portugal.
The 26-year-old, who can also be coached by Prendergast at provincial degree, has accrued 18 caps since making his debut towards Italy in 2021 however solely six of these appearances have come as a starter.
“He’s stuffed with power, he’s a pupil of the sport,” Prendergast stated of Casey, in line with the Irish Examiner.
“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 per week later in Lisbon.
With head coach Andy Farrell away main the Lions in Australia, forwards coach Paul O’Connell is in momentary cost of the workforce.
Prendergast was drafted in as cowl for Andrew Goodman, who – together with Eire defence coach Simon Easterby and scrum coach John Fogarty – can also be on Lions responsibility.
The 48-year-old believes the three contenders for Eire’s beginning fly-half position have a “superb dynamic”.
Leinster’s Sam Prendergast took the quantity 10 jersey from Munster’s Jack Crowley final autumn, with Ciaran Frawley the opposite possibility out there to O’Connell.
“By way of what I’ve seen up to now, they’re pushing one another,” Prendergast stated of the trio, in line with BBC Sport.
“I all the time talk about being aggressive and getting the most effective out of one another.
“The way in which you get the most effective out of one another is being aggressive. From what I’ve seen, there’s an excellent dynamic there.”
