Jack Crowley insists there was no element of proving a point after delivering an accomplished performance against England that again pushed him ahead of Sam Prendergast in the out-half pecking order.
Prior to the 42-21 win at Twickenham, where the Munster man kicked seven of nine goal attempts worth 17 points, Leinster's Prendergast had been Andy Farrell's preferred option at out-half.
The Kildare man had started the final two games of the autumn series, against Australia and South Africa, and the opening two matches of the Six Nations.
However, a poor outing against Italy has seen Prendergast, who turned 23 last month, drop out of the matchday panel for the game in London and this evening's clash with Wales (8.10pm).
Crowley, who played all five games of the victorious 2024 campaign following Johnny Sexton's retirement, is now back in the driving seat and will win his 34th cap this evening.
"I feel like it's not really about proving my point, or for anybody proving your point," said the 26-year-old (above).
"It's more about just always continuing to find your best, and how you can do that week to week, how you can do that from day to day in training.
"Then it's about where you can add to the team so that you have 15 individuals out there that are bringing their best.
"And when you do that, you get performances that come together, like England."
Asked about the ups and downs of his international career over the last two seasons, the Bandon man said he wouldn't change a thing.
"I think the journey is one that you don't ever want to wish you changed anything about because you are here right now as you're meant to be and everything along the way is what made you who you are right now," he said.
Ireland captain Caelan Doris has warned that Wales "have grown throughout the tournament" ahead of tomorrow's Six Nations clash at Aviva Stadium: https://t.co/XZlTETX7Ud pic.twitter.com/MRYY9mp2Nn
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) March 5, 2026
"You can't change anything in the past and it's done, like the future, don't know what's coming and all you can control is right here right now.
"Bring your best right here, right now, and you look after the future because what you do now is what will determine what comes down the line.
"It's never really about focusing too much on the past or looking too far forward.
"I had a tough training today, I'm thinking about getting back down to the gym to do a gym session, so that's what's on my mind, trying to stay as much in the now."
Crowley's overall performance in Twickenham was lauded and the fact that, after getting back the starting jersey, he didn't try to make a big play but focussed instead on facilitating and getting the basics right didn't go unnoticed.
"I think what Jack does very well, is he's very present, he plays what's in front of him," said captain Caelan Doris of Crowley who carried nine times, made 22 passes and 12 tackles.
"He missed a kick early on, he had one or two errors early on but he was just able to get back on track and refocus very well.
"He puts a lot of work into that side of his game, into his mental prep and focus around that. He’s been great."
Crowley has been largely able to ignore the sometimes toxic outside noise that has accompanied the out-half debate and was asked about Johnny Sexton's suggestion that players avoid social media as much as possible.
"It is if you just put it away and don't engage with it," he said.
"It's like anything, you have a choice and you can choose to not engage or you can choose to engage.
"It's just creating good habits, day to day, like with your nutrition or diet, or training performance - you make a choice and you commit to it.
"A lot of people now, we're talking about quality of life, and trying to spend time off the phone, when you're in training and trying to connect with one another, staying off the phone is one way that you can… play Monopoly, or whatever it might be.
"Because we're in camp in the evenings, you want to connect with one another, and that's one way as well. Definitely, you always have a choice."
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