Andy Farrell insists this week’s training camp in Portugal is an open-audition for his number 10 jersey, ahead of the Guinness Six Nations opener against France in Paris.
Ireland start their campaign away to the French on Thursday, 5 February, with their preparations already under way at the squad’s usual January retreat to the Algarve.
Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley have been jockeying for position on the out-half depth chart for the last 15 months, while Leinster pair Harry Byrne and Ciarán Frawley remain in the conversation, with four options to choose from in his squad of 37.
But the Ireland head coach has stressed that he won’t make up his mind on his starting 10 until he has a chance to kick the tyres across the next few days in Quinta do Lago, adding that it’s “only fair” to see how each player pitches up.
“We’ve got a good few tough sessions that people will have to keep earning the respect of their team-mates from, so staying open-minded is the right thing to do,” he said, when asked about his out-half depth chart.
Byrne hasn’t featured for Ireland since the final round of the 2024 Six Nations, which is his only Test appearance since November 2021.
Harry Byrne (l) hasn’t featured for Ireland since March 2024
The 26-year-old appeared to be the forgotten man just over a year ago, but his loan spell to Bristol Bears in 2025 has brought him back onto the international radar, playing twice for an Ireland XV in that time.
The departure of his older brother Ross has seen his gametime for Leinster increase this season, and he has worked well in tandem with Prendergast, making 11 appearances in 2025/26, six of which have come in the starting side.
“I like the fact that he’s showing, not just with how he’s playing, but within his body language, that he’s here to compete and he’s here to be taken notice of,” Farrell said of Byrne this week.
“I think he’s playing with a lot of confidence, he’s that type of guy anyway. I suppose he’s able to be a little bit more confident when his body’s good, he’s fit and healthy and he’s playing regular and we’ve seen that.
“How he’s goal-kicking, that just coincides with the confidence piece as well.
“He’s obviously in a good spot and he’ll be so proud of himself, I would have thought, of getting back in the room, into camp, from what would have been a difficult enough year from the start of last year, but fair play to him for doing what he’s done.”
While Frawley appears to be fourth in line – from an out-half – perspective, his versatility across the backline has seen him retain his place in the wider squad.
The 29-year-old is set to depart Leinster this summer after agreeing a move to Connacht, and he looks likely to be first-choice out-half at the province next season.
And Farrell has welcomed the player’s ambition.
He said: “It’s great that lads have got the nous to want to do the right thing by themselves, and as far as their own ambition to play as much rugby as they possibly can, and where that can lead to, hopefully international honours.
“You don’t want lads playing eight or nine games a year, that’s how people improve, isn’t it, by giving people game time.
“It used to be a massive strength of ours when the URC or Pro14 carried on playing in the international window, because everyone was playing the whole time, but things have changed a little bit in that regard, so lads are probably scratching their heads thinking, ‘why am I not playing?’
“It’s because things have changed, so making sure that people get adequate enough game time is the only way that they’re going to improve.”
That queue for the number 10 shirt only looks like getting longer next season, with Joey Carbery set to return to Ireland from his two-year stint at Bordeaux-Begles in France.
The 30-year-old (below), who won the last of his 37 caps in November 2022, is expected to sign with Leinster, who have beaten Ulster in the race to bring him back to Ireland.
Farrell believes that spell with the defending Champions Cup winners will have done Carbery “the world of good”.
“Get everyone back,” he said.
“Joe is a great lad, great player. He’s going to add to any squad, any province.
“Playing scrum-half as well [on Saturday]. Not bad, actually. He played a bit of scrum-half. What a place to go and play your rugby.
“And on the back of that, they’re not a bad team, are they? So, he’s got to come back a bigger and better player for that experience, that’s for sure.”
With a World Cup now just over 18 months away, the Ireland head coach will also be keeping a close eye on Thomond Park on Saturday, 7 February, as his development Ireland XV squad face off against an English selection in Limerick.
It will be the third such outing for the Ireland XV in the last year, after games against an English selection, and an outing to face Spain in Madrid in November.
And with eight of this current Six Nations squad featuring in one, or both, of those contests, Farrell (above) says it’s becoming a valuable development tool.
“It’s as important to us as any of these Six Nations games, because the lads have to know that they handle what we’ve just been talking about and then put in a performance,” said the 50-year-old, who took over as head coach in late 2019.
“As we know, England, with the strength and depth that they’ve got, they’re going to be a good side.
“They beat us properly last year, I would have thought, at Bristol.
“So stepping up and performing against that type of calibre of team that England will bring will be a huge game for us all going forward, certainly over the next 18 months.”
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