MUNSTER’S MIKE PRENDERGAST is set to be appointed as Ireland A coach for next month’s clash with England A in Bristol.
An Irish side made up of some of the senior squad and a group of exciting younger players will come together as Ireland A for the game at Ashton Gate on Sunday 23 February, the day after Ireland’s Six Nations clash with Wales in nearby Cardiff.
The 42 understands that Munster attack coach Prendergast will lead Ireland A for that game, their first fixture since facing the All Blacks XV in Dublin in November 2022.
It’s also thought that Prendergast will link up with the senior Ireland squad at their current training camp in Portugal following Munster’s URC clash with the Dragons in Wales tomorrow evening.
That would allow Prendergast to get in sync with how Ireland’s senior coaching staff operate and get hands-on experience with some of the things they will hope to see from the A team next month in Bristol. With Andy Farrell away on Lions duty, it would also offer Ireland another set of coaching eyes as they prepare to face England next weekend.
Prendergast has earned a reputation as an excellent attack coach while working in France with Grenoble, Oyonnax, Stade Français, and Racing, as well as with Munster since 2022. He redesigned the province’s attack after joining and played a key part in their URC glory in 2023.
The Limerick man has put his hand up to become the next Munster head coach following the departure of Graham Rowntree earlier this season but he has to wait as the province and the IRFU assess their options for the permanent role.
Nonetheless, Prendergast’s development looks set to continue as Ireland A boss, with the IRFU keen to help coaches make progress.
In 2017, Ronan O’Gara and Felix Jones linked up with Joe Schmidt’s Ireland on their tour of the US and Japan.
When Connacht’s Pete Wilkins was still an assistant with the western province, he travelled with Andy Farrell’s Ireland on their 2022 tour of New Zealand as they played two extra midweek games. Wilkins has since taken over as Connacht’s head coach.
It’s also common for coaches within the Irish system to visit national team camp to observe sessions, with Munster’s Denis Leamy and Connacht’s John Muldoon among those to have done so in recent times.
Best of luck Prendy. Onward and upward
It would be some craic if he picks a side packed leinster with leinster players.
@chris mcdonnell: I think he has enough players from all the provinces who didn’t make the cut for the national side. Quite a few of them will be from Munster like Ahern, Coombes, Hodnett, Gleeson, Nash, Daly to name but a few. All good players before he even considers the other providences.
@chris mcdonnell: not sure what you mean.
@Con Cussed: The 13 players not selected for the 6N match day squad will be available for Ireland A
@Paul Ennis: Apart from the awkward 2 or 3 guys who need to travel with the main squad in case of injuries.
Always unlucky to be technically higher in the pecking order than some guys playing the A but unable to get gametime to prove it.
@Joe O’Regan: i am talking about how some people on here lost their sh 1t when easterby and paul O’Connell picked their 6 nation squad and how funny this site would be if he picks a leinster based sqaud.
@Con Cussed: Nash is in the national squad
@chris mcdonnell: be some craic if he replaced Cullen soon
@Paul Ennis: thats cool, will be a proper A team then
@Paul Ennis: so take out the likely 23 your left with something something like this.
1 Boyle
2. Herring
3. Clarkson
4. Henderson
5. Cormac Izzy
6. PoM (capt)
7. Timoney
8. Pendergast
9. Blade
10. Frawley
11. Nash
12. Cooney
13. Postwhistle
14. Obrien
15. Osbourne
@Adrian Breen: you can have Cullen, I’d even drive him down to limerick
@chris mcdonnell:
I’d like to see;
1. Boyle, sub Dooley
2. McCarthy, sub Stewart
3. Clarkson, sub Scott Wilson
4. Henderson (c)
5. T Aherne l, sub Sheridan
6. Jensen, sub Soroka
7. Timoney, sub Kindellan
8. McNabney, sub Gleeson
9. Doak, sub Ben Murphy/Gus ….
10. Flawley, sub Harry B
11. Stockdale, sub Zac Ward
12. Postletwaite
13. Forde
14. Tommy O’Brien
15. Jimmy O’Brien
@damien reidy: Yeah, thanks my mistake :0)
@chris mcdonnell: Something like that. I have a funny feeling POM makes the 6N 23, especially v Wales. Osbourne would be unlucky not to make the squad too.
@Barry Moran: Bristol is less than an hours drive from Cardiff so the 24th man plus plus will still be available for the A game. Chances are that both squads will stay in Cardiff. I also forgot about the training panelists, so you will essentially be looking at 17 plus 6 drafted in. Maybe Easterby will use the opportunity for an extended squad gathering in the fallow week to give exposure to another 10 or 12 players over all?
@chris mcdonnell:
Could hardly have gotten Richie Murphy as both his sons will on form likely be playing it.