Crowley has got the edge in battle of No10 tyros

WELCOME to the new age. This fixture was dominated by two relentless outhalves for almost two decades. Johnny Sexton v Dan Biggar was central in many Ireland v Wales contests for a long, long time.

Both called it quits after the last World Cup. Sexton calling time on a trophy-laden, 14-year, 119-cap Test career. Biggar doing the same after 15 years on the international beat, making 112 appearances in the red jersey. Fittingly, both were cut from the same mould. A pair of standard-setters, alpha males and uber-cranky competitors.

You never doubted who was boss when Sexton and Biggar were on the field. They demanded the ball and demanded the best from everyone around them.

Suffice to say, both left big voids in their respective camps when they decided to call it a day.

So, for the first time in many years, we head into this fixture without two icons at No10.

Two new playmakers have stepped forward. Jack Crowley and Sam Costelow once faced each other in an U20 Six Nations clash at Musgrave Park in 2020.

Now, they are the playmakers who have been backed to step up and lead their senior sides towards the next World Cup in 2027.

Crowley and Costelow were along for the ride at the last tournament in France, playing bitpart roles as Sexton and Biggar pursued one last shot at glory.

Now, they are front and centre as a new era begins. They are very different players as well.

Sexton and Biggar had many strengths but neither were gifted athletes blessed with searing pace. Crowley and Costelow are much more attack-minded players. Both can break the line. Crowley’s unleashed his Campeseesque goose step on the Italians a few weeks ago while his Welsh counterpart also has a mean turn of foot.

They are both still learning their trade at this level. The Munster out-half has only recently turned 24. This will be just his 12th international appearance. His Scarlets opponent, meanwhile, is 23 and set to win his 10th cap at Aviva Stadium.

Injuries have hindered Costelow’s progress thus far. Like many of his teammates this afternoon, he remains a raw prospect, but his ceiling is high. When this Welsh out-half gets into the groove, he can really get a backline moving.

Crowley is further down the track. Farrell had no hesitation in handing him Sexton’s jersey prior to this championship. Crowley has repaid his faith in spades thus far. The Corkman has been far from perfect and there were plenty of errors in the wins against France and Italy, but Crowley’s biggest strength is his ability to move past mistakes and get back into the flow of things quickly. There is a calmness to his play which belies his age and experience.

‘He’s really quite calm. Even when you’re in the middle of a Test match with him, the tone of voice and the chat is really relaxed,’ his clubmate Conor Murray noted recently. ‘That’s probably why he is able to move on (from mistakes). He is very calm and has a very good understanding of what he is trying to do.

‘He is still a young ten. If you think of Johnny at that age I am sure he was doing good things but making mistakes as well and that’s just part of the journey for Jack.’

Crowley has an innate feel for the game as well. Recall that perfectly-timed, try-scoring pass to Tadhg Beirne in Marseille or that brilliant, one-handed offload in the lead-up to Dan Sheehan’s first-half try against the Azzurri. He has taken this tournament by storm. So much so that Sexton’s name has barely been mentioned in recent weeks. No higher praise for Crowley.

Costelow has a point to prove today. He had a poor day against the Scots in round one, when the visitors surged into a 27-0 lead before the Welsh staged a stirring late fightback.

He would then miss the 16-14 loss by England, with 22-year-old Ioan Lloyd showing plenty of composure at out-half.

But Warren Gatland has placed his faith in Costelow for this daunting assignment to Dublin. Pre-match jitters were a big factor in the opening-round loss, apparently.

‘It was a tough call,’ Gatland said this week.

‘We were pretty happy with Ioan’s development at 10. Things didn’t go as well for Sam in the first half against Scotland. He’s someone we’ve been working closely with.

‘At the World Cup (in France), it was easy for him (Costelow), having some experienced 10s in front of him. I think it dawned on him before Scotland that he’s Wales’ No10. He was pretty nervous for that one.’

That’s the thing about outhalves in Wales. Every player who dons the hallowed No10 shirt is held up to the most intense scrutiny. Barry John and Phil Bennett cast wide shadows across the valleys. Stephen Jones and Biggar carried the mantle in the professional era.

Costelow knows all about the history of his position and perhaps all the expectation and pressure got to him earlier in this championship. Gatland will encourage him to take a leaf out of Crowley’s book, take a breath and enjoy it a bit. Because if Wales get up a head of steam and Costelow gets into the groove, this contest could be a lot tighter than many people are forecasting.

Crowley, meanwhile, will look to continue his nerveless stint in the starting line-up.

Is this the beginning of a new rivalry? It feels that way.