Even in Ireland, where an incumbent outhalf is firmly in place, the question continually emerges regarding his successor. The argument stands that the Leinster outhalf, due to the team’s front-running status and the presence of numerous international players, holds the strongest possibility of becoming Ireland’s next outhalf.
However, the presence of Jack Crowley in Munster challenges this assumption. Despite this, playing alongside the Irish scrumhalf, two native centres, as well as the Irish fullback and left wing, certainly comes with benefits.
Notably, Sam Prendergast, as a playmaker, can’t escape the constant comparisons to others, including Crowley, Ross, Harry Byrne, Ciarán Frawley, and even Johnny Sexton. Evidently, these comparisons are inevitable. Responding with obvious admiration for Johnny Sexton, Prendergast draws parallels to a loyal follower discussing Marx’s Das Kapital.
Saturday’s game at the Aviva Stadium will have many eyes on Prendergast; some critical, some envious, and others simply curious. The former Newbridge outhalf, an important asset of Simon Easterby’s team with starts in all three matches during the Emerging Ireland tour of South Africa last summer, is a remarkable figure standing at 6ft 4ins, even at just 21 years of age.
His lean, youthful physique, fresh tanned face, and neatly trimmed hair are deceptive; he has grown in both physical stature and gaming prowess over the past year. Having been pinpointed early on, Prendergast has made a seamless transition into the rigorous world of Irish rugby and easily weathered the gradual transition to higher rankings.
As the 2024 Six Nations Championship rolled around, Irish squad manager Andy Farrell brought Prendergast, along with Oli Jager from Munster, and Thomas Ahern into the squad, giving them a gentle teasing of camp life and a foretaste of the fiercely competitive fraternity. Leinster offers a similar experience.
Reflecting on the highly competitive nature of life in Leinster, one footballer acknowledges the potential frustrations. He insists that the uniqueness and diversity amongst the outhalves enhance learning experiences, inciting a healthy element of competitiveness within them.
Identifying himself as one such outhalf, the player also concedes that the team’s management might perceive his flexibility as a valuable attribute. Even though his bigger sibling Cian chose to relocate to Connacht, he stayed on in Leinster, undeterred by the competitive environment in seeking more game time.
The footballer admits that he contemplated a move to Connacht and that, although selfish, it was completely aligned with his team-centric mindset. His sole focus was to secure the position as Leinster’s number 10 and achieve great things there. That being said, the idea of gaining more game time elsewhere did cross his mind as a potentially wise choice. After all, he pondered, the ultimate aim is to play as much as possible and continually improve his game.
Nevertheless, his final decision was to stay put in Leinster. He was always certain that this was the right place for him and he remained steadfast in his quest to become the top player here. That commitment is inherently challenging as one must consistently stay ahead in the game while being aware of upcoming talents.
RG Snyman, a double World Cup victor with the Springboks, this week expressed admiration for the footballer’s remarkable skills during training sessions. He was particularly impressed by players like Sam, who can execute astonishing feats with the ball.
Senior Leinster coach Jacques Nienaber spoke highly of Sam, noting his diverse skill set and sharp understanding of the game. He asserted that real-time experience would build Sam’s confidence, both in playing at high levels and also in guiding a team. The recent announcement of Sam’s inclusion in Farrell’s team for the November match series is likely to expose him to “pro-league rugby” much sooner.
When reflecting upon the French squad that overpowered Ireland in the final of the 2023 Under-20 World Cup, where Sam participated, he observed that four or five players have progressed to the senior French team. He anticipates being the pioneer amongst his Irish colleagues to the senior team. The upcoming game on Saturday at the Aviva offers him a platform to showcase his talent and mastery in areas like the kicking range, grace under pressure, threat perception, defence, passing, decision-making, and overall presence in the game. The goal is to prove that he can command the position.
Despite not being keenly interested in rugby until his third year at school, Prendergast has since become a hot topic of conversation, being tagged as a significant newcomer by Farrell to battle alongside Frawley and Crowley during November. When queried about his enjoyment of his leadership role on the team, without missing a beat, he affirmed, “Yeah, I do”, a wry smile on his face as he leaned back in his chair. He recognised that any other response would have been unsatisfactory.