IRELAND’S CLASH WITH Wales on Saturday is the big one this weekend but having an A international to look forward to the following afternoon is a real bonus.
The A game will give Andy Farrell, Simon Easterby and the senior Irish staff another look at players they feel might have a part to play in this summer’s tour to Georgia and Portugal and in years to come.
The last time Ireland A played was in November 2022 when the All Blacks XV came to Dublin and gave them a hammering. Back then, the senior coaches and backroom staff doubled up to work with the A team, who played the night before Ireland took on the Springboks.
Everyone was stretched with so much ground to cover and so many players in camp. The harsh lesson at the hands of a Damian McKenzie-inspired Kiwi side has been heeded. And so it is that this time around, Ireland A have their very own coaching staff and backroom team.
They have been training at the IRFU’s high performance centre this week, where Easterby’s senior team have also been preparing for their Wales game, but Ireland A are on their own training schedule and have been staying in a separate hotel.
Mike Prendergast heads up the Ireland A coaching staff, with forwards coach Jimmy Duffy, defence coach Seán O’Brien, scrum specialist Colm Tucker, and backs coach Mark Sexton working under him for this one-off game against England A on Sunday in Bristol.
They have had a group of 29 players to work with and could yet get a couple back from the senior squad, with the likes of Ciarán Frawley surely needing a run out in green.
Plenty of these Ireland A players know each other well from U20s and Emerging camps, but even though they have their own distinct build-up to this game, there are still challenges in bringing all the pieces together in a short space of time.
“We as a staff met last week just to get ahead of the game a small bit and when we came in, straight away we were able to connect,” says Prendergast.
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“And that’s probably the challenge of the whole week, just being able to align and connect people in a short little window.
Ireland A training yesterday. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
“To be fair to the boys, I think they realise the opportunity they have and they came in quite prepared on Monday.”
Ireland A had a light walk-through on Monday, as well as hearing from O’Brien at a tone-setting meeting.
“I got him to speak to the group and he’s a guy that’s worn the jersey and done it,” says Prendergast.
“He just spoke about getting these opportunities and being able to take them.
“That’s what you look for from the players, to see how they set themselves up for a week and to be fair, I couldn’t speak highly enough about them so far.”
Ireland have ramped up their training since Monday and will travel to Bristol tomorrow, with the matchday 23 due to be announced tomorrow afternoon.
Prendergast spent time with the senior Ireland squad at their pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal, so he got a strong sense of how Easterby’s men view the game.
There will be a strong overlap between how Ireland play and how the A side aim to operate on Sunday, even if there is scope for Prendergast and co. to bring their own flourishes.
“There’s a mix, to be honest with you,” he says. “We all play, in terms of our framework, similarly enough, being connected, etc. but that was more to see how their days and weeks ran.
“The terminology as well, you’d mirror most of the stuff which we would do in the provinces as well. There’s a bit of a mix-and-match, so it was good to see the balance of how the Irish team run their days with their schedule, when they’re on it and when they’re off it, and the good balance the staff have created over a couple of seasons, just how comfortable they are with each other was interesting to see.
“That’s probably something that as a head coach I’ve tried to bring in and will bring in this week more so, that when we’re on it, we’re on it but there’s a time then where you connect off the pitch as well.
Ireland A boss Mike Prendergast. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
“Because we’re on the pitch for only so long, we’re in the gym, but a lot of our work is done around our computers and laptops as well. You talk about connecting and probably the best way of connecting for a new group is through your preparation because guys are starting to get to know each other, figuring things out, so that’s been really good and it’s something I saw clearly with the Irish squad when I was with them in Portugal.”
Prendergast says this week is huge for him and his assistants in terms of their coaching development, particularly given how concentrated a window of preparation it is for a one-off game.
He has been enjoying sharing ideas with coaches and players from the other provinces, but his job as Ireland A head coach is to narrow things down, keep the plan simple, and get everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.
If they can do that, lots of these Ireland A players will further their cases for touring with the senior team this summer.
“Well that’s the thing, the opportunities could arrive depending on what happens with the Lions,” says Prendergast.
“I’m sure we’ll have some players going, maybe a bulk of players. And that will open opportunities potentially for players in this group or even players who might have a very strong end to the season, that aren’t in this group at the moment.
“But the big thing about this week is giving them the opportunity and they have the opportunity to set themselves up to perform on Sunday.”
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Ireland A game gives exciting group a big opportunity to impress
IRELAND’S CLASH WITH Wales on Saturday is the big one this weekend but having an A international to look forward to the following afternoon is a real bonus.
The A game will give Andy Farrell, Simon Easterby and the senior Irish staff another look at players they feel might have a part to play in this summer’s tour to Georgia and Portugal and in years to come.
The last time Ireland A played was in November 2022 when the All Blacks XV came to Dublin and gave them a hammering. Back then, the senior coaches and backroom staff doubled up to work with the A team, who played the night before Ireland took on the Springboks.
Everyone was stretched with so much ground to cover and so many players in camp. The harsh lesson at the hands of a Damian McKenzie-inspired Kiwi side has been heeded. And so it is that this time around, Ireland A have their very own coaching staff and backroom team.
They have been training at the IRFU’s high performance centre this week, where Easterby’s senior team have also been preparing for their Wales game, but Ireland A are on their own training schedule and have been staying in a separate hotel.
Mike Prendergast heads up the Ireland A coaching staff, with forwards coach Jimmy Duffy, defence coach Seán O’Brien, scrum specialist Colm Tucker, and backs coach Mark Sexton working under him for this one-off game against England A on Sunday in Bristol.
They have had a group of 29 players to work with and could yet get a couple back from the senior squad, with the likes of Ciarán Frawley surely needing a run out in green.
Plenty of these Ireland A players know each other well from U20s and Emerging camps, but even though they have their own distinct build-up to this game, there are still challenges in bringing all the pieces together in a short space of time.
“We as a staff met last week just to get ahead of the game a small bit and when we came in, straight away we were able to connect,” says Prendergast.
“And that’s probably the challenge of the whole week, just being able to align and connect people in a short little window.
“To be fair to the boys, I think they realise the opportunity they have and they came in quite prepared on Monday.”
Ireland A had a light walk-through on Monday, as well as hearing from O’Brien at a tone-setting meeting.
“I got him to speak to the group and he’s a guy that’s worn the jersey and done it,” says Prendergast.
“He just spoke about getting these opportunities and being able to take them.
“That’s what you look for from the players, to see how they set themselves up for a week and to be fair, I couldn’t speak highly enough about them so far.”
Ireland have ramped up their training since Monday and will travel to Bristol tomorrow, with the matchday 23 due to be announced tomorrow afternoon.
Prendergast spent time with the senior Ireland squad at their pre-Six Nations training camp in Portugal, so he got a strong sense of how Easterby’s men view the game.
There will be a strong overlap between how Ireland play and how the A side aim to operate on Sunday, even if there is scope for Prendergast and co. to bring their own flourishes.
“There’s a mix, to be honest with you,” he says. “We all play, in terms of our framework, similarly enough, being connected, etc. but that was more to see how their days and weeks ran.
“The terminology as well, you’d mirror most of the stuff which we would do in the provinces as well. There’s a bit of a mix-and-match, so it was good to see the balance of how the Irish team run their days with their schedule, when they’re on it and when they’re off it, and the good balance the staff have created over a couple of seasons, just how comfortable they are with each other was interesting to see.
“That’s probably something that as a head coach I’ve tried to bring in and will bring in this week more so, that when we’re on it, we’re on it but there’s a time then where you connect off the pitch as well.
“Because we’re on the pitch for only so long, we’re in the gym, but a lot of our work is done around our computers and laptops as well. You talk about connecting and probably the best way of connecting for a new group is through your preparation because guys are starting to get to know each other, figuring things out, so that’s been really good and it’s something I saw clearly with the Irish squad when I was with them in Portugal.”
Prendergast says this week is huge for him and his assistants in terms of their coaching development, particularly given how concentrated a window of preparation it is for a one-off game.
He has been enjoying sharing ideas with coaches and players from the other provinces, but his job as Ireland A head coach is to narrow things down, keep the plan simple, and get everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.
If they can do that, lots of these Ireland A players will further their cases for touring with the senior team this summer.
“Well that’s the thing, the opportunities could arrive depending on what happens with the Lions,” says Prendergast.
“I’m sure we’ll have some players going, maybe a bulk of players. And that will open opportunities potentially for players in this group or even players who might have a very strong end to the season, that aren’t in this group at the moment.
“But the big thing about this week is giving them the opportunity and they have the opportunity to set themselves up to perform on Sunday.”
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Bristol England A ireland a Mike Prendergast The A-Team