Ciaran Frawley has dropped down the pecking order for Ireland and Leinster.

The Irish bench, players and fans erupted into celebration as the drop goal sailed through the posts to signal the end of the match and secure a hard-fought victory over South Africa.

Ireland had achieved something unthinkable: defeating the Springboks in their own backyard.

The hero, Ciarán Frawley.

The 27-year-old had forever preserved his name in Irish rugby history with that winning kick over the reigning world champions as Ireland won 25-24, only their second ever victory away to South Africa.

Frawley was heralded as the man who should be the regular fly-half for Leinster from that moment and a serious contender to be first-choice 10 for Ireland.

Fallen down pecking order

However, just under 10 months later, his name is not even mentioned in the same breath as Sam Prendergast or Jack Crowley for the Irish number 10 jersey, and he is playing third fiddle for the fly-half spot at Leinster.

So, how has Frawley become the forgotten man of Irish rugby, and what does his future hold?

The season got off to a fantastic start for Frawley, as he seemed to be the preferred choice for Leo Cullen in the fly-half position, usurping the Byrne brothers, Harry and Ross.

Then came the autumn internationals.

This appeared to be the turning point for Frawley.

Admittedly, it was not a good international window for the 27-year-old, who had a nightmare against New Zealand.

Those 23 minutes were detrimental for Frawley, as it appears that Andy Farrell has shifted his attention to Prendergast as his primary option at fly-half for Ireland, as he only played another 53 minutes for Ireland, against Fiji, while not making a single appearance during the Six Nations this year.

Frawley may have hoped Cullen would have kept his faith in him; however, the Leinster head coach seemed to have been converted to the idea that Prendergast was the future.

As the Leinster head coach opted for the 22-year-old as Leinster’s preferred choice, Frawley’s confidence took a severe blow and has yet to seemingly recover.

This has been incredibly noticeable in his goal kicking, particularly in the United Rugby Championship fixtures against the Sharks and Ulster.

The need to convert penalties and conversions consistently, particularly in the latter stages of the European Cup, has seen Cullen opt for a tried and tested kicker in Ross Byrne as the back-up to Prendergast.

The 27-year-old may have believed his versatility would have kept him above Byrne in the pecking order, as he can play fly-half, centre and full-back, and Leinster had previously utilised him on the bench for that reason in previous seasons, but the signing of Jordie Barrett has been damaging in that aspect, as the All Black can fulfil this function at a world-class level.

While he may understand Cullen’s choice to favour a truly exceptional talent in Barrett over him in the more paramount fixtures, Frawley will surely be questioning his future as the Leinster head coach opts to select a Gloucester-bound Byrne over him for the fly-half spot on the bench.

Frawley may believe next season he could have more of a crack at fighting for a starting jersey at Leinster, but this is unlikely to be the case.

Despite Ross Byrne leaving for England next season, his brother, Harry, will be returning from his spell at Bristol Bears determined to battle for the fly-half spot, while the announcement of Reiko Ioane joining as a replacement for Barrett next year will have not done any favours for Frawley as a versatile option.

A move away from the four-time Champions Cup winners is the only option to reignite both his club and international.

Should he want to fight for the Ireland number 10 jersey, only Connacht and Ulster are realistic options.

Both are crying out for a player of his ability in the fly-half position.

Frawley’s experience would be crucial in helping guide the youthful fly-half options at Ulster, as both Jack Murphy and Aidan Morgan have demonstrated their talent but need some guidance in maximising it.

Frawley could provide a much-needed steady hand at Ulster, particularly at fly-half, while his versatility may be taken advantage of by Richie Murphy due to the persistent injuries Ulster seem to suffer in the back positions.

Connacht, on the other hand, are desperate for a talented fly-half who will be consistently available for selection.

News broke that JJ Hanrahan was leaving the 2016 PRO12 champions for Munster next season, while they were hoping to extend the contracts of Josh Ioane and Jack Carty.

However, Frawley would be an improvement on either of these current options, as Carty struggled with injuries this season, while Ioane’s game management and kicking have come into question.

Now, who is to say that Frawley would want to go to either of these clubs to reignite his Ireland career?

Follow Joey Carbery’s lead

He may take inspiration from another fly-half that looked destined to be a mainstay of the Irish setup, Joey Carbery, and take the option of exploring opportunities outside Ireland.

Having played for both Leinster and Munster across eight years, earning 37 caps for Ireland, he opted to move to Bordeaux-Bègles this season, and he has not looked back since, as he is enjoying life in the south-west of France.

Clubs across England and France would be lining up to sign a player of his ability, with the Leicester Tigers needing a fly-half and Racing 92 potentially exploring their options as Dan Lancaster rumours swirl and Owen Farrell continues to struggle.

Frawley has an important final few months to the end of the season as he contemplates his future.

He will need to decide whether he remains at Leinster, risking slipping into obscurity for Irish selection and becoming second fiddle to Prendergast for the foreseeable future; moving to another Irish province to fight for the international number 10 jersey; or if he opts to explore rugby in another country, ending his international career with Ireland.