'A great showing from him' - Andy Farrell happy with rookie out-half ...

There were first-half scores from captain Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Craig Casey and Mack Hansen, followed up after the break by Bundee Aki, Gus McCarthy, Hansen again, and Ronan Kelleher.

That his debutants, hooker McCarthy and flanker Izuchukwu, and first-time starter at fly-half Prendergast exerted such an influence on their team’s return to form made it all the more satisfying for the head coach who had given them their opportunities.

Farrell was also rewarded by strong performances from a recalled Jacob Stockdale and his least experienced scrum-half Craig Casey but it was the new boys who grabbed the spotlight.

McCarthy, still a Leinster academy player, overcame some early calls against his lineout throwing to have a hand in three tries and claimed one for himself.

Izuchukwu, 24, looked assured as a lineout presence, in defence and in the loose, and was denied a maiden Test try only due to a forward pass from Mack Hansen. 

Prendergast, like the hooker a 21-year-old, kicked four conversions from five attempts and impressively pulled the strings for Ireland, including a pinpoint crossfield kick pass to put in Hansen for the first of his two tries at Aviva Stadium.

“I thought for all sorts of reasons it was very pleasing,” Farrell said in his post-match press conference. 

“I think first and foremost there's some really nice stories within our group, with two debutants and people getting a chance to get their second, third start, or somebody like Jacob Stockdale who's not played for quite some time.

“To get the win, play some nice rugby, could've, should've done better at times but I thought we controlled the game very well.” 

Addressing his debutants specifically, Farrell added: “I was gutted for Izzy in regards to the forward pass, it was marginal, so Mack says anyway. It would have been nice for him to get over the line. I thought he was a presence, certainly in the lineout. He's some athlete.

“You give people these opportunities for them to realise their own potential. It's what they do with that experience now, that's going to be important pushing on.

“What a story there for Gus. Two years ago lifting the Senior Cup at Caelan's school (captain Doris’s alumni Blackrock College). I thought he did a brilliant job.

“A harsh call, I thought, on the first lineout, but it never bothered him at all. He just kept going to play 80 minutes and played the finish at number seven. Himself and his family will remember that forever.” 

In an Ireland side showing seven changes and which finished with McCarthy filling in at openside flanker, captain Doris moved from No.8 to outside centre and replacement scrum-half Conor Murray on the left wing, Prendergast looked the picture of assurance as he overcame an early yellow card for foul play to orchestrate Ireland’s attack.

“I thought he did great,” Farrell said of his number 10, whom he had capped for the first time off the bench against Argentina eight days earlier. “I thought he was really composed. The kick to the corner (missing touch from a penalty), that was harsh as well, but it didn't bother him.

“He had a few mistakes within his game but he was pulling the strings for a good while, and he was really, really composed.

"It's tough against Fiji because you don't know what you're going to get in front of you at times.

"Certainly, the breakdown is an absolute mess, like, at times, because they're so ferocious there and they're so short defensively that you can see the space but you have them shooting out from out wide, and to have the composure and play the line like he did at times, I thought it was a great showing from him.” 

Fiji head coach Mick Byrne had made no secret of his displeasure that Prendergast’s yellow card had not been converted to a red during the bunker review period. The Irish fly-half had turned his shoulder high into kick-chasing flanker Kitione Salawa on eight minutes but the offence was deemed not to have been of a high danger to the Fijian.

Australian Byrne was asked if he had expected an upgrade to red on review as Prendergast sat in the sin bin and replied: “Aw no, I think he was wearing a green jersey so it stayed yellow.” 

Responding to those comments, Farrell said: "Ah, I get why it is but for me he turned his back and it's harsh enough, like, you know? I don't know, I'll have to have a look at it again but that's the game, isn't it?” 

Ireland had conceded 13 penalties in each of the two previous weeks but managed to control their discipline, yellow card aside, to just eight against Fiji.

"I thought our discipline was pretty good in general and it certainly added to the reason why, if you look at the story of the game and you fast forward it I thought territory-wise and dominance-wise, yes, a couple of execution bits could have been better, I thought our discipline added to our strong hold on the game.” 

The only downsides for Ireland were injuries to the impressive left wing Stockdale and full-back Jamie Osborne.

“He pulled up sharp with a hamstring,” Farrell said of Stockdale, “so we'll see how that is tomorrow. But he pulled up quite sharp, so I was gutted for him.

“Jamie’s is an adductor. He couldn't carry on, so that doesn't look bright at the minute.”