Returning Sam Prendergast can give 'grieving' Leinster a boost

Leo Cullen: 'Even though he's 23 years of age, he has multiple Irish caps under his belt already... we all want to see him progress'

Sam Prendergast is back in action for a Leinster side still hurting from a fifth Champions Cup final in eight years. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Leo Cullen has urged supporters to get behind Sam Prendergast on the out-half’s return to a Leinster team which is still “grieving” the loss of last week’s Champions Cup final.

The province lost its fifth decider in eight years in Bilbao when beaten comprehensively by Bordeaux-Begles and the task now is to pick themselves up ahead of their URC quarter-final against the Lions in Dublin this weekend.

Cullen has made a number of eye-catching changes, eight in all and more on the bench, for the follow-up with the return to the No.10 jersey of Prendergast standing out the most given he wasn’t included in the matchday 23 at the San Mames stadium.

Prendergast’s return and Harry Byrne’s dropping to the bench means there is no place in the squad for Ciaran Frawley, the Connacht-bound Skerries man who impressed off the bench against the Top 14 side in the Basque Country.

“It's always a balance,” said Cullen. “And we're lucky with the guys that we have there. And Sam, as you know, he's a super-talented young man and we want to keep giving the guy opportunities. I think you've seen it.

Leinste coach Leo Cullen. Picture: INPHO/Grace Halton

“Even though he's 23 years of age, he has multiple Irish caps under his belt already. So it's not just us as coaches here who think that the guy has unbelievable amount of potential. It's the Irish coaches as well. So, we all want to see him progress.” 

The decision to go with Prendergast and omit the in-form Frawley will be hotly-debated between now and Saturday and Cullen referenced his Ireland counterpart's criticisms of “keyboard warriors” earlier in the year.

“We all need to get behind Sam because we see him as a huge part of the future of not just Leinster, but Irish rugby as well. Everyone heard Andy Farrell speak during the Six Nations when Sam and Jack were fighting it out for the starting role there.

“It's making sure that we continue to back our young players to bring them through because you're trying to perform at the top level of the game.”

RECORD-BREAKING

Elsewhere, James Lowe returns to the line-up after sitting in the stands last week with Prendergast. He makes his 100th appearance and he can surpass Shane Horgan as Leinster’s all-time try scorer if he gets over the white line against the South Africans.

Cullen opted not to discuss whether the wing would be at the club next season, explaining that conversations are always happening but that such matters were of a private nature between the player and the club. Lowe’s contract is up this summer.

Jimmy O’Brien, Jamie Osborne, Luke McGrath, Tadhg Furlong, Max Deegan and Scott Penny are others to come in this week. Thomas Clarkson, Josh van der Flier, Jamison Gibson-Park, Byrne and Robbie Henshaw all drop down to the bench.

Tommy O’Brien, Garry Ringrose, Ronan Kelleher, Jack Conan and Paddy McCarthy miss out completely. McCarthy is out for the season with a foot injury and Cullen said some others have issues with Ringrose and Kelleher both mentioned.

The head coach spoke of the need to inject a “physical and emotional freshness” into the group after what he termed a “horrific” feeling at the end of the Champions Cup campaign.

“Is it grieving? Nobody's died, but that's exactly what it feels like. 

It's a grieving cycle. People are experiencing all the different emotions there, of anger and all the rest.

“But at some stage we need to accept we can't change it, unfortunately, what's happening, and we need to move forward with a group that's hugely motivated and shows the right character characteristics of what's required to win knockout games."