The national team has a big decision to make over who plays in the out-half berth against Argentina and what the pecking order is behind

Johnny Sexton will be the most important coach at Ireland training for the rest of this week.

The national team has a big decision to make over who plays in the out-half berth against Argentina and what the pecking order is behind.

Denied the services of accepted first-choice No.10 Jack Crowley, there is Sam Prendergast who will be nursing a wrist injury late into the week.

There is Ciaran Frawley who is getting game time at Connacht while Ulster’s Jamie Benson has been drafted in and Joey Carbery, although not in the squad, has been mentioned.

Sexton’s job is to get those choices right. He said: “Jack, obviously his injury is ongoing and it’s disappointing. We’d love to have him here but we’ve still got some good options there.

“Sam has started the season well, Frawls has gone really well with Connacht, Jamie has been impressive as a player and we can bring back Joey if we want, 100 percent.”

Prendergast, in Crowley’s absence, started the two games against Australia and New Zealand in the summer.

“Obviously, the wrist injury wasn’t ideal,” said Sexton, “he picked it up in training, I think, for Leinster and it ruled him out of the Munster game

“It’s really a day-by-day to see how it’s progressing, see how it’s healing up and we’re very hopeful that he’ll be involved.”

The Leinster out-half came on as a sub in South Africa against Sharks and started the Cardiff and Clermont games where he was back-to-back man of the match winner.

Sexton continued: “Sam started the season great, some bits at the start we would have liked. There was the kicking stuff that we talked about, that will get better over the next few weeks.

“We would have liked to see him play against Munster but we saw him earlier today doing a bit of passing with the physios and he’s still working through that.

“So we’ll see how he pitches up over the next couple of days, maybe take a little bit of part in training at the back end of the week or, if not, maybe the start of next week.”

Frawley started the Nations Championship game against Fiji during the summer.

And Sexton insisted: “I’ve said it would be great to see him have a consistent run of games in the No.10 jersey – and, lo and behold, when he’s had that, he’s pushed his way in here.

“That was always going to be the case, everyone that’s watched him over the years knows how talented he is and how gifted he is in many ways.

“He’s got an amazing physical profile, particularly for an out-half. He’s got pace which can be handy for an out-half. He’s a real running threat.

“He was always going to push himself in here when he got a run of games and he has done that. All Frawls needed was some time in the seat really. He’s done really well so far.”

It is a small sample size all the same as he was not selected at out-half even once for Leinster through last season and only six times during the campaign before that.

His two games for Connacht at No.10 was the first time he had started consecutive matches there since October 2024.

“He has things to improve on, like every player when they come in,” Sexton added. “We have a certain way of playing here versus how Connacht do things.

“So we’re saying, ‘Keep doing that and maybe just brush up a couple of other things’ but he’s done really well.”

Benson, 24, arrived at Ulster from Harlequins at the start of the season. Sexton said: “He hasn’t had too much time at No.10 but been very impressive with what he’s done with Ulster.

“Whether it’s been at No.12, 13, 15 and at 10, he’s done really well. He’s kicked a few goals. We had to see all those things to bring him in.”

Meanwhile, 37-times capped Carbery is available and has a chance of a call-up.

Sexton agreed: “He does, yes. Again, he’s got to go and play for Leinster in the No.10 jersey consistently. It’s just about seeing him in the hot seat again. Hopefully he will go well. He’s buckets of talent, Joey. It’s good to see him back.”