Given that Johnny Sexton had the Ireland No 10 jersey under lock and key for well over a decade, the process of moving on from the talismanic playmaker always looked like it would take time.
A master tactician and ferocious competitor, Sexton had guided Ireland to five Six Nations titles, three of them being Grand Slams.
Throw in the four Champions Cups he won with Leinster, along with six domestic Pro14 titles, and he became the most decorated fly-half of his generation.
With 118 caps to his name, Sexton finally called time on a glittering career after Ireland lost to New Zealand in the World Cup quarter finals in France in 2023.
And so began a new chapter for Irish rugby. A step into the unknown, they are still adjusting to life in the post-Sexton era more than a year down the line.
Things began fairly well. In last year’s Six Nations, Munster’s Jack Crowley started all five matches as Ireland clinched the championship. He played well, too, and was the heir apparent.
The brilliant Sexton was a constant thorn in Scotland’s side before retiring in 2023
Jack Crowley has his eye on taking permanent possession of the No10 shirt for Ireland
Sam Prendergast is the other contender looking to replace Sexton as first-choice fly half
It was a different story on Ireland’s summer tour of South Africa. Crowley found himself under the microscope and his performances against the Springboks were criticised.
When the Autumn Test Series rolled around a few months later, he was benched for the final two games against Fiji and Australia.
Young Leinster hotshot Sam Prendergast had stolen a march on him and, following those wins over the Fijians and the Wallabies, it was Prendergast who started against England last weekend in the Six Nations opener in Dublin.
Again, though, Prendergast found himself on the receiving end of criticism. It didn’t matter that he was a 21-year-old making his Six Nations debut.
There is no period of grace in an Ireland jersey when the team are competing to win a Grand Slam year in, year out. No time to be bedded-in gently. Players are judged equally, regardless of age or experience.
When Crowley, four years Prendergast’s elder at 25, came off the bench to replace him on 58 minutes, the tempo of Ireland’s attack improved markedly.
It was the same story against Australia in the autumn and, as Ireland head for Murrayfield on Sunday, it feels like the balls are still very much up in the air with regards to their long-term plan at fly-half.
Ireland are still searching for the magic formula post-Sexton. The battle and rivalry between Prendergast and Crowley could define the No 10 jersey for the next decade.
Jack Crowley kicks a penalty goal in last weekend’s Six Nations win over England in Dublin
Prendergast considers his options as England’s Tom Curry attempts to stop him
Sexton made a point of getting the better of Scotland in matches between the Celtic nations
‘I think it’s quite healthy competition, Jack is a great lad and a great player,’ said Prendergast earlier this week.
‘We both just work together, as much as people want to think we hate each other. I think he’s playing very well at the moment and I thought he played very well when he came on against England.’
Despite the fact that Crowley made a positive contribution off the bench last week and helped change the game, the feeling in Ireland is that Prendergast may well get the nod against Scotland.
It was Andy Farrell’s decision to promote Prendergast to the Ireland squad, despite the fact he only had a limited body of work at club level for Leinster.
Prendergast is Farrell’s man. True, he wasn’t especially great against England, but the consensus in Ireland is that it would be a surprise if Farrell chose to bin him after one game.
For all that Farrell isn’t there as head coach because of Lions duty, you can bet your bottom dollar that he’s still calling the shots in terms of team selection.
The performances of Crowley could yet force his hand. If he continues to spark Ireland into life when he comes off the bench, the calls for him to start will only grow louder.
This is new territory for Ireland. There was a natural crossover between Sexton and his predecessor Ronan O’Gara.
Crowley gets ready to kick a penalty during the 2023 World Cup clash with South Africa
Sam Prendergast offloads the ball, watched by Marcus Smith, on way to Irish victory in Dublin
When O’Gara’s career was winding down, Sexton was primed and ready to take the reins. Although they weren’t especially fond of each other at the time, it was clear that Sexton was the coming man.
Now the head coach of La Rochelle in France, O’Gara still features prominently in the discourse around Irish rugby and spoke this week of the battle between Crowley and Prendergast.
Having previously been critical of Crawley’s displays for club and country, O’Gara believes his fellow Munsterman proved a point with his performance off the bench against England.
‘He had a big game,’ said O’Gara. ‘As good as I’ve seen him in a red or a green jersey and I just thought he was decisive. As a ten, that does wonders and it spreads to everyone else.
‘He had conceded his position [back in the autumn] and maybe I was a bit blunt on that, on the fact that he has got to accept being the number two now.
‘But to do that under pressure is a huge sign of mental strength. it also shows that the kid has b***s.
‘He wants this and he is going to fight for it because I thought he looked shaper, he looked fast, he looked strong, he looked powerful.
‘There was just this aura about him. That is the Jack Crowley that I tried to sign a few years ago.’
On the performance of Prendergast, and the fact he missed a few kicks, O’Gara added: ‘It was a perfect example of a young player getting spooked at the highest level.’
O’Gara will almost certainly become Ireland head coach at some point in the future, so it was interesting to hear his take on the rivalry between the two players.
Brian O’Driscoll, the undisputed King of Irish rugby, feels that Prendergast will eventually go on to nail down the jersey and make it his own.
‘I think Prendergast is going to be the 10 in the World Cup in 2027,’ said O’Driscoll. ‘I think his ceiling is higher, I think he’s got more natural ability than Crowley.’
As Ireland now head for Murrayfield to continue their pursuit of a third successive Six Nations title, the battle between Prendergast and Crowley makes for an intriguing sub-plot.
If they stick with Prendergast, Scotland would be foolish if they didn’t look to target someone with such limited experience at the top level.
Should they revert to Crowley, it would only confirm that the post-Sexton picture still looks decidedly unclear.
