Former Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray believes Ciaran Frawley will be frustrated after Saturday’s 36-20 win over Japan in the Nations Championship.

With Sam Prendergast rested following last week’s win over Australia and Jack Crowley injured, Frawley was handed a first start in the fly-half jersey for Ireland.

On his 14th cap, the versatile Frawley – who has left Leinster for Connacht – struggled to dictate the game against a Japan side that threatened to upset Ireland and missed a straightforward conversion attempt in the first half.

Head coach Andy Farrell had made nine changes from the narrow win over Australia, and the performance was littered with penalties as the Irish set-piece struggled to provide a platform in Newcastle.

Murray describes Frawley as “a brilliant player”, but felt the 28-year-old struggled to impact the game as he might have hoped as Ireland’s forward pack struggle at line-out and scrum.

“I rate him so highly but just the way the game was, it was a bit stop-start and that was a huge chance for him,” Murray said on the Ireland Rugby Social podcast., external

“He’s a cracking player and we’ll open up the 10 debate again I’m sure [with Prendergast, Crowley and Harry Byrne], but that’s not fully nailed off.

“He’ll be frustrated because we all know what he can do.”

Former Ireland and Ulster scrum-half Paul Marshall said that credit had to be given to Eddie Jones’ Japan for how much they impacted Ireland’s flow in Newcastle.

“As a half-back you want to get attacking opportunities off the scrum and line-out, and if the odd scrum penalty or the odd line-out goes astray you don’t get the opportunity to run those plays and you don’t get your flow,” Marshall said.

“Everyone doesn’t get into the game the same way, so it can just be a bit frustrating on that front.”

Farrell said that Frawley, who ended the game at full-back after the introduction of Harry Byrne with 20 minutes remaining, looked “a real threat” throughout the game.

“Some really good stuff and he looked a real threat, especially early doors with ball in hand,” he said.

“Obviously the goal kick could affect somebody in that position but he rolled that pretty well.

“I also thought Harry came on and did pretty well.”

Farrell handed debuts to Sean Jansen, Sam Illo, Billy Bohan and Bryn Ward against Japan, and the Irish head coach said he wants them to learn from the experience.

“It’s about what they do with that now, the debutants and the other lads who hadn’t played for a while,” he added.

“It’s what they do with that experience, whether they’re involved next week or not or what they do over pre-season and attack next season, they’ve gotten a sniff of what it’s all about now.”