JACK Crowley was hailed as ‘brilliant’ after producing one of his best performances in an Ireland jersey.

Nailing seven out of nine kicks, the Innishannon man kicked 17 points – his second highest tally in an international match – as Ireland stunned England with a sensational 42-21 away win over England in Twickenham on Saturday.

Having impressed off the bench in Ireland’s opening two Six Nations games against France and Italy, Crowley was handed his first start of the competition, and he didn’t disappoint in a superb Ireland display.

‘Jack Crowley ran a really, really good show,’ former Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip said, after watching the Bandon RFC clubman and his half-back partner, man-of-the-match Jamison Gibson-Park, combine to devastating effect.

Crowley looked calm and composed, and given how much conversation there has been over the Ireland No. 10 jersey – the ongoing battle between Sam Prendergast and Crowley – the West Cork man took his opportunity in style.

‘While (Jamison) Gibson-Park was man of the match, I have to say that Jack Crowley was also brilliant and he took his form from the bench to directing his team with a level of composure that was so impressive,’ former Irish player Bernard Jackman said.

‘It needed stability and it needed simplicity,’ added former Munster and Ireland star Alan Quinlan, a nod to Crowley’s influence on Ireland’s double-scored victory on English soil.

Defensively, Crowley proved his worth again, and the feeling is he will keep his spot for Ireland’s remaining Six Nations games, home to Wales on March 6th and then to Scotland on March 14th.

Former England fullback Mike Brown, speaking on the Second Captains podcast, also endorsed Crowley as the right man for Ireland: ‘I think Crowley is the man that you kind of need to go with for now, I would say. He looked good when he came off the bench against Italy, as well. He got the attack moving in that game, with Gibson-Park (he) turned the game for Ireland. He was the right choice for this game, and I think now you've got to give him the keys, let it be his for a bit, stop the chopping and changing.’