CONNACHT COACH CULLIE Tucker offered a positive update on Cian Prendergast after the flanker was forced out of today’s URC derby defeat to Munster with a head injury.
The Connacht captain left the pitch on a stretcher after being caught in a heavy clearout by Munster centre Alex Nankivell after 25 minutes, which saw the New Zealander receive a red card.
Prendergast received attention on the pitch before offering the crowd a thumbs-up as he was stretchered off, with Connacht later confirming the 25-year-old was conscious and had been taken to hospital for further evaluation.
“He’s in hospital at the moment getting checked, but so far so good,” Tucker told Premier Sports.
Cian Prendergast is conscious and has been taken to hospital for further evaluation.
We’ll provide a further update in due course, and thank you for the well wishes.
“We gave ourselves too much to do again, I feel similar enough to last week, some soft scores in there, I think the three points before halftime, we needed to be way more accurate there giving away that penalty. I thought 10 points would have been way better (at half-time).
“Munster held the ball very well, especially when they were down to 13 but again, we just needed to play better early in the game, we were a bit inaccurate in the first half.
“I think conditions were a big issue but we were just a little bit off in terms of our timing and items like that, but we always want to play to space and if there’s space available we have to be able to go there. The wind was very hard and it was tough conditions, so we have to look back on that, but I thought we were inaccurate around our ruck at times as well in the first half.”
Munster’s Jack Crowley picked up the player of the match award following an excellent, controlled display in the 10 shirt alongside his equally impressive half-back partner Craig Casey, who was superb on his first apperance since December due to a knee injury.
“I think it’s a really cool thing to be able to play at MacHale Park, it has a lot of culture in the GAA and that’s something that as Irish people we’re very proud of, so first of all, unbelievable to play here in terms of the environment and everything,” Crowley said.
“I thought the support was unbelievable for both sides and it was a proper good game, really enjoyed it.”
Crowley was central to Munster’s excellent game management, with the visitors never surrendering their lead despite losing Nankivell to that early red card.
“I think it’s credit to the leaders and the team, the more experienced lads and the staff,” Crowley added.
“They had a plan in place, even with the conditions, it’s something you have to have in place playing in the west, so just having that plan and trusting it. I thought it was really good and obviously it was difficult at times with the card, but that’s the sport and you’ve got to get on with it. I thought the lads fronted up unbelievably well, the forwards.”
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Connacht offer positive update after Cian Prendergast taken to hospital
CONNACHT COACH CULLIE Tucker offered a positive update on Cian Prendergast after the flanker was forced out of today’s URC derby defeat to Munster with a head injury.
The Connacht captain left the pitch on a stretcher after being caught in a heavy clearout by Munster centre Alex Nankivell after 25 minutes, which saw the New Zealander receive a red card.
Prendergast received attention on the pitch before offering the crowd a thumbs-up as he was stretchered off, with Connacht later confirming the 25-year-old was conscious and had been taken to hospital for further evaluation.
“He’s in hospital at the moment getting checked, but so far so good,” Tucker told Premier Sports.
With Connacht head coach Pete Wilkins currently on sick leave scrum coach Tucker led the province for the second week running, and was disappointed with how the home side managed elements of the game as they fell to a 30-24 defeat in front of over 27,000 supporters at MacHale Park in Castlebar.
“We gave ourselves too much to do again, I feel similar enough to last week, some soft scores in there, I think the three points before halftime, we needed to be way more accurate there giving away that penalty. I thought 10 points would have been way better (at half-time).
“Munster held the ball very well, especially when they were down to 13 but again, we just needed to play better early in the game, we were a bit inaccurate in the first half.
“I think conditions were a big issue but we were just a little bit off in terms of our timing and items like that, but we always want to play to space and if there’s space available we have to be able to go there. The wind was very hard and it was tough conditions, so we have to look back on that, but I thought we were inaccurate around our ruck at times as well in the first half.”
Munster’s Jack Crowley picked up the player of the match award following an excellent, controlled display in the 10 shirt alongside his equally impressive half-back partner Craig Casey, who was superb on his first apperance since December due to a knee injury.
“I think it’s a really cool thing to be able to play at MacHale Park, it has a lot of culture in the GAA and that’s something that as Irish people we’re very proud of, so first of all, unbelievable to play here in terms of the environment and everything,” Crowley said.
“I thought the support was unbelievable for both sides and it was a proper good game, really enjoyed it.”
Crowley was central to Munster’s excellent game management, with the visitors never surrendering their lead despite losing Nankivell to that early red card.
“I think it’s credit to the leaders and the team, the more experienced lads and the staff,” Crowley added.
“They had a plan in place, even with the conditions, it’s something you have to have in place playing in the west, so just having that plan and trusting it. I thought it was really good and obviously it was difficult at times with the card, but that’s the sport and you’ve got to get on with it. I thought the lads fronted up unbelievably well, the forwards.”
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Cian Prendergast Connacht Munster Reaction Rugby URC