QUESTION CONTINUE TO linger about the future of Sam Prendergast despite a strong performance in Leinster’s 33-7 victory over Connacht in the RDS on Friday night.
Between Prendergast, Ciarán Frawley and the Byrne brothers, there are only so many minutes available at number 10 for Leinster’s wide range of options.
Former Leinster star Bernard Jackman believes that one of Leinster’s out-halves should take the opportunity to make a loan move to Connacht’s Dexcom Stadium:
“I’m not fussed about who leaves but I think this time next year we’ll still be wondering about one of them at least, and maybe two of them, if they all stay in the same place,” Jackman told Murray Kinsella on Tuesday’s Rugby Weekly Extra podcast.
“From an Irish Rugby point of view, ‘it’s probably better if one of them goes temporarily to Connacht.
“If David Humphreys does one thing this summer, it’s potentially that, to actually get one of those tens to go to Connacht for a year and let’s see how good they are.”
Jackman also waxed lyrical about Ulster second row Cormac Izuchukwu on the latest edition of Rugby Weekly Extra, whilst also noting that he is just one of a plethora of outstanding talents currently available to the Irish provinces in that position.
“It’s just great to see him play every week now and wow, he’s exciting!
“There’s two lads [Izuchukwu & Thomas Ahern] who are going to be going at it for the next seven or eight years.
“We now have four of those athletic line-out options… highly skilful sixes… Ryan Baird obviously at Leinster and Cian Prendergast at Connacht. I think that that athletic six which Cormac and Thomas Ahern can be, they’re the ones that coaches are looking at saying ‘in the modern game they are the key men’.
“Ulster for so long haven’t really had that, Stephen Ferris was probably the last one, who was dominant physically and Izuchukwu looks like he has that ability.”
In other United Rugby Championship news, the competition’s quarter-final matchups await us next weekend. Holders Munster welcome Ospreys to Thomond Park on Friday night, while Leinster will have an opportunity to exact revenge on Ulster following their inter-pro derby encounter in May.
Elsewhere, The Bulls will host Benetton, with Glasgow Warriors’ tie with The Stormers rounding up the four games.
With these four quarter-finals now set in stone, Jackman offered listeners with an insight into how he feels the final stages of the competition may pan out:
‘I think Munster, Glasgow, Leinster and The Bulls [will win]. Leinster will then have to go to The Bulls. That will be a big test for them, the first time their front-liners will have to go down there. Then if they win, they’ve got to come back and get ready for what I think will be Thomond Park.
“I think it’s going to be a Leinster/Munster final in Thomond, and that would be class!”
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SA sides know how to play knockout rugby ..although 4 home wins looks likely this weekend , fancy the Stormers to take Glasgow even with a poor travelling record …all indications point to a Leinster/Munster final but am not so sure .think we will see some upsets … Very exiting last couple of weekends ..
@Stuart: injures starting to hit squad depth again. That cost us in H- cup when our bench impact was poor. It could hamper us again. Ospreys are a sticky enough side. Think we’ll beat them but it won’t be easy.
Byrne, Byrne, Prendergast, Frawley and Tector – not all of them can be the next greatest 10s for Leinster or Ireland so at least one them needs to show the courage to try their luck elsewhere. HB or Charlie T would be my guesses.
@Richard Powell: Guess a few of them might not like the Galway weather! Otherwise, it’s a great place to be. The problem might be more the style of play in Connacht versus Leinster. Guess Prendergast would be more suited than the lads as he’s not blocked by making changes to the way he plays. However, he and Frawley play a more flowing game that is more suited to Connacht. If Prendergast stays at Leinster then it might be better for Frawley to got to Connacht on loan for several months.
If (and it’s a very big “If”) it’s a Munster vs Leinster Final, it will almost certainly be in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
@cian nolan: don’t think so. thomond is the cathedral of Munster rugby. It would be a heretic move . Munster are very grounded about who they are. It would amaze me if they take any big game out of Thomond by choice. Anyway many a slip between lip and cup and all that. One day at a time ….