AT FIRST, RONAN O’Gara was wary of what he thought might just be hype.
He had been hearing about and watching Sam Prendergast’s swift rise with Ireland in the autumn but wasn’t quite sure whether the evidence matched the excitement.
It was Leinster’s Champions Cup pool win over Bristol in December that convinced O’Gara that Prendergast has something special.
The 21-year-old out-half scored two tries that night in Ashton Gate, helping Leinster to an important win to start their campaign. Prendergast backed it up with a player-of-the-match performance against Clermont and another in the win over Munster at Thomond Park just after Christmas.
Sunday in La Rochelle was another big test for Prendergast and though he had some tricky moments such as two blocked-down kicks, O’Gara spoke glowingly of the Ireland out-half after his own side’s 16-14 defeat.
“He is an impressive young player, that’s for certain,” said O’Gara.
“And probably, as I said previously, I thought there was probably a buzz about him that wasn’t necessary. But after what I saw from Bristol he merits all that and he deserves all that.
“Today I don’t think he missed a kick, did he? And none of them were easy. And managed the game well. He has a huge future.
“You just have to go after a 21-year-old because he is 21, you know? When I was 21 and playing in that position, what you feel as a 21-year-old, it’s not easy. So he won that game tonight in terms of against me because I didn’t get much change out of him.”
Prendergast had to watch the closing quarter from the touchline after being replaced by the experienced Ross Byrne, who uncharacteristically pulled a kickable penalty wide in the 69th minute when he had a chance to give Leinster a five-point lead.
Coupled with Jordie Barrett’s miss from a tougher position further out to the left of the posts, Leinster had to cling on in the dying minutes as La Rochelle looked for three points to win the game.
Their out-half Antoine Hastoy came up short with 52-metre penalty effort in the 80th minute, had a drop goal effort blocked down by Josh van der Flier in the 81st minute, then threw a forward pass in the game’s final act in the 83rd minute.
O’Gara knows how heavy the responsibility of being the number 10 can rest on a player’s shoulders. He pointed to the good work Hastoy did in this game, including his cross-field kick for Dillyn Leyds’ try, and said their discussion about the disappointing moments will be simple.
O’Gara felt Hastoy needed to be set up seven or eight metres deeper for the drop goal, taking van der Flier out of the equation.
“Do you know what, it’s an image conversation as opposed to a conversation,” said O’Gara.
“Laptop, watch it, and the images will speak for themselves.
“Hopefully, like most good players, he will give the solution. If it comes from me, it is not good coaching. But, depth.”
Obviously disappointed with the loss, but the bonus point means we don’t have to go to South Africa. Well played Munster, you did the job you had to do. Losing McCloskey, McIlroy, Treadwell and O’Connor early doors was gutting, but we played brilliantly and I’ll happy. Champions Cup qualification is massively important given our finances. Well done Munster, see you in the final.
@Rab McCracken: very impressed by ulster. Izzy was absolutely extraordinary
@Rab McCracken: finances arent as bad as you make out. Ulster have posted one years financial loss, Munster have posted a financial loss every year since 2012. Ulster aren’t the worst placed financially.
@Kingshu: not compared to any Welsh regions
Fair play Munster. Battle hardened and on a run. As a Leinster fan, I appreciate your proper end of season planning and wish that we had done more for the SA tour instead of rotating like we did.
Once again Daly was immense. Has to be on the plane to SA. Defence and attack unreal. The most complete player
@mickey mac: one of his better games but Munster really do struggle in the winger department . Nash was poor today and continues to struttle to be an attack threat at this level
@Owen ODonoghue: eh what? Nash who won motm?
@Owen ODonoghue: what are ya on a out.
@mickey mac: look Daly is good no doubt.. not gonna be on the plane. Crazy statement
@Owen ODonoghue: what game did you watch?
@Owen ODonoghue: Nash was poor? Scored a try and won the POTM award. Sarcasm or just confusion?
@Cian O: how he got MOTM is a disgrace, his try was from a yard out with numbers – his other contribution was to collect the ball, run sideways and throw the ball into touch. He is not an international winger and will be found out
As a neutral that was a highly entertaining game. Commiserations ulster but it’s looking like richie murphy is making a big impact, you’ll be flying next season
Great to see all the Leinster fans out in force. Clearly Munster continues to live rent free in your heads.
Nice effort trying to deflect from your bottle job last weekend by all the faux outrage around Frank Murphy. Just remember Munster cut him from their roster and refused to offer him a new contract so he went to Connacht and played there for far longer. So I’d say he has no love for Munster if the truth be told.
@Simon Ryan: It’s always sad to see people being so disrespectful to a team like Toulouse, really uncalled for
@Simon Ryan: he’s been munster most valuable employee over the past few years.
@Simon Ryan: I am a leinster supporter and i have no qualms with the ref and would also be delighted if munster won the urc again. Don’t think leinster deserve to win it tbh and munster winning season last year was one of the most entertaining sport seasons I’ve ever seen. Anyway, point is not all leinster supporters are the same!
@Simon Ryan: what are you raving about, how do you even know who the posters are giving out about Murphy. They’re just trolls, ignore them and stop with some of the drivel yourself.
@Simon Ryan: remember when Alain Rolland used to referee Munster v Leinster games, we knew we had no hope in those games
@Simon Ryan: relax you won. Jesus wept. Enjoy the win, you dont have to revel in someone else’s defeat…
@Simon Ryan: prefer to bottle it in 3 finals than never realistically having a chance of getting to the final!!
I’m a Leinster supporter, but would be happy to see Munster win….
Phew, got out of jail there! Rg definitely should have got yellow. Much improved 2nd half display after a very poor 1st half. Ulster are a good team and leinster will have their hands full in the quarters
@munsterman: I fancy them to upset Leinster at the Aviva.
Fantastic display by a young Ulster team that gave everything. Pity about the catalogue of injuries they had but Richie Murphy has turned this squad around, keep ‘er lit Richie and congratulations Munster.
@Bob Cummings: fair play to ye with Richie Murphy ye have really turned it around and stood up.
Genuinely an absolute disgrace a Cork man, former Munster player was in the middle for such an important game. Frank got them over the line like he did in last years URC semi.
@Eoin H: why do you think he was selected to ref the game.
@Eoin H: you matter the result, it was always going to be Franks fault. Giving him these games is lose lose for him.
@Kingshu: Decisions like the RG one don’t help his cause and your argument to be honest.
@Eoin H: as a neutral, I thought he was fair to both sides …however A few hairs went awry..usually thats an area that is tip top.
@Kingshu: Well how about he doesn’t the games and give it to a neutral ref. It’s not a problem anyway, there isn’t much there for Leinster to worry about. Just need to shut down Snyman and Leinster product Tadgh Beirne
@Eoin H: ye have to beat ulster first & haven’t done that this season
@Kingshu: Andrew Brace was initially given the Munster v Connacht match, and rightly turned it down, and I can respect him for it. If Frank Murphy had any credibility, he would have done likewise. How the IRFU think it’s fine to give either a long-time Limerick resident and for Munster employee in Brace, or a Corkman and openly proud Munster supporter in Murphy the whistle for an interpro is beyond me.
@JoeVlogs: why do ye all think the irfu pick them? It’s the urc that select them
@munsterman: Depends what Leinster your talking about. Ulster haven’t played Champions cup Leinster this year, they’ve only faced the second string Leinster with two or three core players slotted in
@JoeVlogs: rubbish you sound like Maga devotee
@JoeVlogs: as a Munster fan we’d love never to reffed by Murphy
@Eoin H: « Nothing for Leinster to worry about? » from the county Mayo of European rugby
@Ciaran Kennedy: 1000%
@Eoin H: and Leinster let Berine go,
@PJ Smith: that was the TMO
@chris mcdonnell: selected by whom?
As a Munster supporter i really wish they wouldn’t give these inter pro games to Frank Murphy. He won’t escape being the main topic of conversation and controversy, no matter what happens, at this point. That’s not good or fair for anyone. That bungled second minute Snyman decision doesn’t help things. Definitely a card, quite possibly a red one. Thought he reffed the rest of the game reasonably well actually but that was brutal.
@Kevin Volf: good post. Completely agree
@Kevin Volf: I don’t agree with the red though, RG was passive so i wouldn’t argue with a yellow.
Carbury and Zebo are going to be huge losses. Syman is of course better player but not many teams can bring a player of Joey’s quality to 10 and let Crowley make hay at 12. Zebo isn’t as quick as peak but he’s never out of place and is so so calm
@Ciaran Kennedy: that was the Joey of old. Finally shaking off the injuries. Lucky Bordeaux.
It’s comical, I’ve seen more Leinster pukes complaining about Frank Murphy than Ulster fans. They must have grown tired of complaining about Matthew Carley
@3xHUEOS7: this
The IRFU pumping money into munster via Frank Murphy garrenteed the hone knockout stages. How the URC allows an ex player ref such an important game. The man has no self respect or shame.
@chris mcdonnell: do the irfu pick the refs? It’s an awful shame that leinster seen unable to produce any refs, a bit like coaches
@munsterman: how many close games has munster Frank got you lot over the line?
@chris mcdonnell: ulster beat us the last 2 times he’s reffed. Munster fans don’t like Murphy reffing us but what can you do? All the Irish refs are from the munster branch bar Busby from ulster. I’d much prefer foreign refs but it’s up to the urc not munster, ulster or the irfu. It’s an absolute scandel that leinster especially and connacht can’t produce refs of the standard
@munsterman: I hear it’s going to be the headline in all papers tomorrow, absolute top level “scandel”
@munsterman: we are too busy producing players.
@PJ Smith: no its never mentioned but as a leinster supporter you can’t complain about the urc choices of refs for games when as a branch ye don’t contribute at all
@munsterman: pretty sure URC select refs for international matches, but home rugby unions select them for interpros?
@chris mcdonnell: @chris mcdonnell: this is what is called pure representative bias – aka rubbish. It is so tiring how often posters here cite referee bias . These guys have a job to do and can make mistakes in so doing. However,no ref I know is deliberately skewed. I think you are being over simplistic and unfair here. It is clowns like you that deter guys becoming refs without whom there is no game…. Same in all sport actually . Keyboard warriors devoid of intellect are the plague here.
@JoeVlogs: that’s ridiculous. Why would the urc give up control of their competition? I’ve no idea why refs from other countries aren’t used but a stick is being used to beat munster when they have all the refs of the standard bar Busby. Seems to be all leinster and connacht fans complaining about the ref too which is funny
@chris mcdonnell: worry bout your own team pat. We will keep doing wat we do best. Winning without needing every advantage under the sun
@chris mcdonnell: I’m a Leinster fan but you haven’t a leg to stand on in this argument. @munsterman has owned you in this thread. Stop trying to deflect Leinster’s failures and belittle Munsters achievements. I’d rather be current URC champs than have no trophy to speak of over the last few years. Yes Leinster develop a lot of players but the amount of financing the likes of Michaels and Rock get from the irfu completely dwarfs the funding any other school in the country gets so of course Leinster will produce more players(and then just one area where Leinster have a financial advantage over the other provinces). So try to respect and get behind your fellow country men rather than sounding like a petty child.
@PJ Smith: yeah Trump level of scandal
@chris mcdonnell: maybe of instead of producing so many players you produced a decent coach you’d win something
@chris mcdonnell: well done but you are not producing trophies.
@seamus Beirne: Spot on, a complete plague. More and more trolls every day, rare to see a comment with any common sense.
@chris mcdonnell: Alain Rolland used to referee Leinster games in the past.
@chris mcdonnell: players to lose finals?
@seamus Beirne: well said, 100% right
@munsterman: The interest in the game isn’t there.
@chris mcdonnell: Don’t forget to wear your tinfoil hat outside today. It’s warm
@chris mcdonnell: Thank you for freely demonstrating how the right to freedom of expression doesn’t require knowledge or intelligence.
Good win for Munster , Jager and Coombes off the bench made big impact up front and turned the second half
Can only see Leinster or the Bulls stopping them from retaining the URC
Scandalous for the league and IRFU that Murphy was allowed to ref that. And he went ahead and underlined why people were concerned with an incompetent/biased(depending on how charitable you’re feeling) display that heavily favoured Munster.
@liam logan: go back and watch the game at ravenhill and come back to us on Frank. No munster fan wants him to ever ref us
Panned out exactly as I said it would. Munsters bench the difference. Came on to see them through to a bonus point win.
@Ray Ridge: bench impact was unbelievable for Munster. Rowntree doing well managing his resources that way this season.
@Brenda Collins: Best coach in Ireland
@Ray Ridge: Yeah you get it spot on every time Ray, a true visionary.
@Ray Ridge: I was at the game – and though a Leinster man, found a a warm welcome at Thomond and great discussions with Munster supporters after the game. Unanimous view was that the bench, including Carbery, saved them on a very ‘off’ day. They will miss Joey next season – on form he is still the #2 10 in Ireland. And I’ll stick with my comments re Izuchukwu at 6. He’s only had 3 games in this position and his progress is clear and obvious.
Finishing top backs up last seasons final win so fair play.
Excellent game, well done Munster
Ulster improvement there for all to see.
Perhaps the likes of Ray Ridge will be more respectful in future. We almost ruined his weekend for the fifth time on the trot! :)
The bench is now DEFCON 4
Like sending up the bat signal and waiting for the magic !
@damien reidy: the timing has also been top class
A yellow at least and a Red any other day for Snyman.
@Jimmy Bean: yellow but not red. Sufficient mitigation, but for sure as a Munster fan I thought that was a yellow card. But for me the rest of the refereeing decisions throughout the game seemed fine.
@Brenda Collins: agrée, at least a yellow but I think red would have been harsh as there was mitigation.
@Michael Corkery: Still I don’t think anyone would have been that surprised with either, coul come back through a citing? which would be a huge blow to munster. Honestly thought Frank was fine apart from that and a few usual ref like tendencies in both directions, but peoples ‘perception’ informs general opinion, as such the usual bottom feeders always find some salt on the stones
A win is a win is a win. Might be no harm get a kick up the arse before the knockouts start
Congratulations to Munster for topping the log but well done to Ulster too. Hopefully you can continue to improve and gain confidence. But not next week as I’m a Leinster fan.
No Munster supporter I know want Frank Murphy as ref. Not Munsters fault… it’s the Blazers..