Player confidence is always a factor contributing to team selection, according to Johnny Sexton, who will have had a say in who starts at out-half for Ireland against England on Saturday.
Jack Crowley, who came off the bench and helped Ireland edge past a valiant Italy at the weekend, appears to be in pole position for a first start since the Japan game last November.
The 26-year-old Munster man was heavily involved in what Andy Farrell described as one of Ireland's best ever tries - Robert Baloucoune's crucial touchdown in the 58th minute of the 20-13 victory.
He did miss a late kick to touch but his overall contribution was positive, while Prendergast, 23, winning his 15th cap, cut a frustrated figure after a poor day at the office.
Asked about the dangers of putting a player low on confidence into the Twickenham cauldron, Sexton conceded that aspect comes into consideration.
"We talk about everything when it comes to selection," the Ireland assistant told RTÉ Sport.
"That would be part of it - how is your confidence, how is it looking at training?
"Because sometimes guys can train unbelievably well during the week and then have a bad day.
"And sometimes you have to go 'well, that was just a bad day' and trust to go further. Sometimes they can be affected by it and that's all part of the process.
"Yeah, it is a balance, I’m learning these things as well.
"There’s a World Cup in 18 months' time and do we need to have guys ready for that? For sure.
"Do we need to win now? Yeah, we want to win now.
"It is a balance; we still think we can win with any of the balance of the four out-halves that we do pick so have that's the biggest challenge at the moment."
Sexton famously won the first of 124 international caps aged 24 and was asked about what lessons he could pass on to the men vying for the starting 10 shirt.
"Sometimes, I try not to too often, because it’s their journey, it doesn’t have to be the same as mine," said the 40-year-old former World Rugby player of the year.
"But I do try to explain to them when you’re starting off you have to learn some hard lessons.
"I was learning lessons playing AIL [All-Ireland League] at 22 and 23, I got my first cap at 24.
"And I still had many bad games and many moments where I wish I could do it all over again, but that was part of my journey and they have to look at it as moments to learn and get to where they want to go."
Harry Byrne (above), who has four caps and been in good form for Leinster having played 11 times since coming back from a loan move at Bristol last year, may get his chance and Sexton has been impressed with what he has seen of the 26-year-old since his return from England.
"I think he matured," said Sexton of Byrne, last capped against Scotland two years ago.
"I think he got exposed to a different coach and a different way of doing things, which made him broaden the way he thinks about things.
"He's come back a different player, a different person, and that's great to see.
"It doesn't mean it's going to work for everyone, but at this stage of his career, it was great for him."
Ciarán Frawley, whose last cap of nine came against Portugal last summer, is also an option for Farrell.
His standout moment in green came in the second 2024 summer Test against South Africa when he scored two late drop goals to win the match.
Johnny Sexton on Ireland's options at 10 and the social media trolls who 'marred' Edwin Edogbo's international debut pic.twitter.com/yAIOuQHWK2
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) February 17, 2026
After a stellar playing career came to an end in 2023, Sexton took a break from rugby to work in the private sector for a glass recycling company but was soon reintegrated into the Irish coaching set-up where he was made full-time after the British and Irish Lions tour.
"In some ways it’s a big challenge for me," he said when asked about settling into the role.
"Why is it a challenge? Because you’ve got no control after Wednesday. [Today] will be our biggest day, then we’ve got Thursday off, a small captain’s run Friday and then we hand it over to the players, that’s the bit I struggle with.
"I suppose all I need to do is know that I’ve done everything possible with them and make sure we’ve got the balance right between giving them responsibility but also giving them enough to implement the game plan.
"I felt even before the French game, I felt we underdid a couple of things and then probably got the balance right against Italy, hopefully get the balance right this week."
The Ireland team will be named on Thursday morning.
Watch England v Ireland in the Six Nations on Saturday from 1pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on the RTÉ News App and on rte.ie/sport. Listen to commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
Watch France v Italy in the Six Nations on Sunday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
