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4th December 2024
09:24am GMT
Most of the discourse during Ireland's recent Autumn Nations Series surrounded the battle for the No 10 jersey between newbie Sam Prendergast and the more experienced Jack Crowley.
After eight starts with Leinster - 20 games in total - time in the Irish camp during the Six Nations and summer tour, as well as playing all three matches in October's Emerging Ireland Tour, and of course games against Argentina and Fiji, some fans felt that Prendergast had been 'fast tracked' into the Ireland starting XV for Saturday's game against Australia.
Even if the 21-year-old Kildare man had indeed been 'fast-tracked', Stephen Ferris had no time for this to be used as a criticism of Ireland head coach Andy Farrell.
Speaking on The Rugby Pod with former Leicester players Jim Hamilton and Andy Goode, the former Ireland and Ulster flanker lambasted the notion that one has to 'earn their stripes', and spoke about his frustration with these views during his early days with his province.
The former blindside said:
"Maybe there was something when you two boys were at Leicester. There was this feeling that you had to 'earn your stripes'.
"That is nonsense, that is horseshit, that does not sit well with me.
"I remember coming into the Ulster team at first and we had an Under-21s side that won everything. We spanked Munster, spanked Leinster, with Gareth Steenson at out-half controlling things. He didn't even get a game for Ulster.
"I know David Humphreys was in and out of the team at that stage. But it was all like when we went into the professional environment like 'ah, hold on lads, you have to earn your stripes first'.
"Well, hold on a second, we're all better than most of the players there. Why do you have to earn your stripes?
Ferris continued:
"That was a real bugbear of mine. Even when I initially got into the Irish side, I couldn't get my head around it. Even though you feel that you're better than some of the counterparts you're coming up against week in and week out, playing against them with your provinces, you're never getting a shot, just because you are this young guy with limited experience, and needs to bide his time and learn a little bit more.
"Stuff that. He's good enough, lets get him in and see how he goes. That's what is happening with Sam Prendergast and that's why I like some of the decisions that Andy Farrell has made.
"So for the young guys out there who have this feeling inside that 'oh, I'm going to have to earn my stripes here', that's not going to sit with Andy Farrell. If you're good enough he'll throw you in there. So keep going at it.
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