Ian Keatley says Joey Carbery needs to stay patient in his bid to get back into the Munster first team.
The 27-year-old has endured a difficult season with both province and Ireland.
Having started the campaign as first-choice out-half for Munster and second in command to Johnny Sexton on the international circuit, Carbery found himself dropped by Irish coach Andy Farrell for the Six Nations, while in recent weeks he's seen Jack Crowley leapfrog him into the starting shirt at Munster.
On Saturday, the Ireland international was out of the matchday squad for Munster's must-win game against the Stormers in Cape Town, with Crowley and replacement Ben Healy helping Graham Rowntree's side to a vital 26-24 win.
The province are still in South Africa this week, returning to Durban for a rematch with the Sharks, after their Champions Cup defeat to Neil Powell's side three weeks ago.
And former Munster out-half Keatley believes Rowntree will stick with the Crowley-Healy selections that were justified against the Stormers.
"I can't really see Joey getting back in for this week, you'd think he'll stick with the same team, as that's what got them here," Keatley told the RTÉ Rugby podcast.
"I'd say they'll play quite similarly to how they played against the Stormers, they just didn't do that against the Sharks in the first match. It will be a similar enough gameplan."
The UL Bohs boss says while Carbery has struggled to find his top form this season, it's been exacerbated by inconsistent performances as a team.
"He's just going through a little rough patch. The form of Munster probably didn't help Joey as well, and it goes hand in hand, Joey lost a bit of confidence."
Bernard Jackman looks back on Munster's vital win against the Stormers in Cape Town
Keatley was joined on the podcast by Bernard Jackman, and the RTÉ Rugby analyst says it's important that Carbery is motivated by the setback.
"In the past when he hasn't played it's been because of injury, but whenever he's been fit he's generally been number one for Munster since he moved down there," Jackman said.
"Crowley got ahead of him at number one, but I think we all expected him to be number two, and for that battle to continue leading into the World Cup.
"It is what it is for him. I think if he bounces back, he's still a very talented player. The question mark around him is that character, that resilience, that ability to drive the team forward, which to be fair to Ben Healy, he's shown.
"Jack Crowley looks like he has that drive, Munster are backing him at the moment and Ireland are backing him, and it's just one of those periods in Joey's career which all players have where things aren't really working out for them.
"Unfortunately for Joey, because of his talents and what he's already achieved, the hype around him, the fact he was moved down there, it's very much high profile. Most players have had moments where a coach lost faith in them for a while, but it's not under the spotlight that Joey is."
With a maximum of four games left this season, time is running out for Carbery to make an impact to get back into contention for a place in Andy Farrell's Rugby World Cup squad.
And Jackman added that even if the 37-cap out-half misses out on the squad behind Crowley, the knock-on effect would be increased game time for him back at Munster.
"He can bounce back. Looking forward to an off-season and coming back and getting in there, Jack Crowley is probably going to be gone for the start of pre-season.
"I know the URC starts a bit later but it does start while the World Cup is on, so Joey Carbery has a phenomenal chance, if he doesn't turn it around before next season, of starting next season at number one, and not giving anybody access to that jersey. But it must be a dark enough place for him at the moment," Jackman added.
Keatley agreed that the margins are still quite fine when it comes to the out-half pecking order at both Munster and Ireland.
"Playing at 10 is a confidence position. You can see Ben Healy, he's decided 'I'm going to move on', and all of a sudden he got capped, he has a fresh start coming up, and you can see his confidence coming out. He knows he's going somewhere else, and is thinking, 'I'm just going to enjoy my next few months with Munster, and enjoy the run-in'.
"I'm sure Joey understands, and he's got a big pre-season [ahead of him]. One injury, and he could get back into that World Cup squad."
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