JUST when Jack Crowley looked to have settled Ireland's No. 10 debate once and for all, injury has reopened the conversation.

It's bad luck for the Innishannon man.

Crowley emerged from the Six Nations as Ireland's first-choice outhalf, grabbing his chance as Sam Prendergast flailed.

He proved he is the right man for the job, and that appeared to end the discussion over who should wear the jersey.

First, Crowley impressed off the bench in Ireland’s opening two Six Nations games against France and Italy. In the heat of Twickenham against England, he kicked 17 points, with former Ireland captain Jamie Heaslip commenting: ‘Crowley ran a really, really good show.’ After pulling the strings in the 43-21 win over Scotland, head coach Andy Farrell hailed the West Cork man as ‘outstanding.’

But just when Crowley was primed to kick on and rubber-stamp his new-found authority at international level, injury ruled him out of the Nations Championship games against Australia, Japan and New Zealand.

That’s sod’s law.

With the Rugby World Cup in 2027 edging closer, the Bandon Rugby Club prodigy looked set to make the No. 10 jersey his own.

The upcoming games would have allowed Crowley to build on his relationship with Jamison Gibson-Park.

Instead, his absence from Ireland’s summer series has created an opportunity for the Leinster trio of Sam Prendergast, Harry Byrne and Ciarán Frawley to stake their claim.

It’s frustrating for Crowley.

A leg injury he picked up in mid-April cut his season short early. He missed Munster’s URC run-in, and now misses the inaugural Nations Championship.

Munster head coach Clayton McMillan described Crowley’s injury as ‘a little bit obscure’ before it was traced back as a blood vessel issue in the back of his leg. He added the Munster star could be sidelined for a month or two.

It’s a setback at the worst possible time, just after Crowley had shown Andy Farrell he was the man to trust heading into a World Cup season.

Crowley’s performances in the Six Nations have earned him top spot in the rankings, but there’s a chance here for Prendergast, Byrne or Frawley to put their hand up.

Despite his eagerness to anoint Prendergast as Johnny Sexton’s successor, Farrell must have been relieved that Crowley had emerged as the clear No. 1 and settled one of Irish rugby’s biggest talking points.

When it became obvious that it was too much, too soon for Prendergast, Crowley grabbed the chance.

‘I suppose it’s around being ready for the opportunity when it presents itself,’ he reflected after the Six Nations.

‘There’s a number of things that can pull your attention away, that actually won’t be able to influence or give you the right energy to go out and perform the way you want to perform.

‘For me, every day matters, how I train matters, how I prepare to train matters, and what I do in the evenings matters. I love that. I love the training week. I love being in meetings.

‘Doing all that so that when you get your opportunity, you are ready, means that you don’t look back and have regret on an opportunity you get.

‘That’s a massive learning that I’ve had. To always be ready, and not just ready to fill in, but to be ready to make the most of the opportunity.’

If there is a silver lining, Crowley now has time to rest, rehab and recover ahead of a World Cup season. The 26-year-old can use the setback to build a full pre-season and return fresh for what could be the biggest campaign of his career.

Let’s hope Lady Luck smiles kindly on him from here to Australia next year.