Catt hails 'huge' impact of Emerging Ireland tour as new recruits eye senior step up

Some uncapped tourists are out to make an impact in South Africa.

Ireland coaches Paul O’Connell, Simon Easterb, Mike Catt and John Fogarty. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan

There is a good chance that Ireland’s three uncapped players currently in South Africa will remain that way during this keenly anticipated two-Test series with the world champions. Yet their readiness for international rugby is not up for debate among Andy Farrell’s management set-up.

Centre Jamie Osborne and lock/flanker Cormac Izuchukwu are the latest graduates from 2022’s Emerging Ireland squad to earn a promotion to the senior Irish camp, joining five other, already-capped alumni from the squad named for what was a successful three-game stint in Bloemfontein.

Munster lock Tom Ahern might also have been in the frame but for a season-ending injury last month while centre Antoine Frisch could be another Emerging tourist of two years ago to earn Test recognition this summer, albeit with France, the country of his birth.

Fly-half Sam Prendergast, meanwhile, is on an even faster track to Test honours and was still seven months out from his Leinster debut when the Emerging squad led by Simon Easterby beat the Griquas, Pumas and Cheetahs in quick succession.

Jack Crowley and Joe McCarthy went to France in last autumn’s World Cup squad and were ever-presents alongside Calvin Nash in the subsequent Six Nations title-winning campaign while Ciaran Frawley, like Nash and back-rower Cian Prendergast, have also made their Ireland debuts since. Scrum-half Caolin Blade, in for the injured Jamison Gibson-Park for this series, had been capped prior to being named in the Emerging squad, although he and Frawley were ruled out of the tour through injury but for those others now vying for first Test selection at Loftus Versfeld this Saturday, attack coach Mike Catt is convinced that group’s experience on South African soil 21 months ago has enabled them to hit the ground running on their introductions to the Test squad.

“The nice thing is that they are all really here on merit,” Catt said last week. “It’s great to see some of the guys, the two of three that have come in from the Emerging team, that Emerging tour that we had two years ago. It’s nice that development happened, and they have come through. You never know, stranger things have happened in tour in Test weeks where people get opportunities and stuff. It’s another opportunity for them to try and find their potential.” The importance of that tour, Catt said, was: “Huge, huge”.

“It gives them an opportunity to, you know, if you’re coaching top guys and you’re imparting that knowledge on a 20- or 21-year-old and then they go back to their club, and then two years later… so having that knowledge they wouldn’t have had until they come into camp now.

“Having the likes of Paul O’Connell coach you, Simon Easterby, those guys, you’re getting that information in there nice and early and then when you watch Ireland you can relate to what’s going on because you understand it. And the more you understand something the more confident you become at it and your development can go through the roof.

“Not everybody’s done that but it’s nice to see that some kids have definitely put their hands up and gone ‘okay, this is where I want to go, I’m excited by it and this is where I want to go.” For Catt, their graduation to this tour party is no coincidence.

“No. Just good coaching,” he joked, before insisting the uncapped trio was not along for the ride.

“Young kids coming into the game, it is their duty to be at a very high level,” Catt said, adding: “You have to be realistic with it ultimately, but if someone drops down, someone gets injured or in some cases if two people get injured in the same position, they have got to be ready. That is our job to make sure that these guys are ready.” 

At 21 and with just 18 professional games in his locker, fly-half Prendergast has understandably grabbed plenty of attention following his selection. Named alongside Crowley and Frawley at the expense of fellow Leinster number 10s Ross Byrne and Harry Byrne, head coach Farrell has upset the provincial pecking order in taking him to South Africa this summer but Catt believes the tour can do for Prendergast what the Emerging tour did for Crowley and accelerate his development.

“Hugely. When you are surrounded by the best of the best all the time, you won’t have an opportunity to play with a Bundee or those guys around him, it is making sure that he sucks up all the atmosphere and the intelligence from the players around him and understands what it is all about.

“I think that his ceiling is very high, he is very confident. He runs the week very, very well. Obviously for the future he can learn a lot from this environment. Going forward he deserves an opportunity.”