Ronan O'Gara: Now I see what all the fuss was about over Sam Prendergast

'I didn’t see what the Leinster fuss was, but I get it now even though the vibes coming from Irish camp for the autumn series were this guy has it'

Thu, 12 Dec, 2024 - 20:14

Tony Leen

RONAN O'Gara isn't often wrong when it comes to out-halves - but the 128-cap ex-Ireland ten has admitted he may have under-estimated the potential of Leinster and Ireland new boy Sam Prendergast.

Writing in Friday's Irish Examiner, the La Rochelle head coach said that after watching Prendergast in action for Leinster in their Champions Cup first round win at Bristol last Sunday, he could now see what all the 'hot air' has been about.

He writes: "I now see where all the hot air about Sam Prendergast is coming from. I thought the Leinster lad was one of the best players of the Champions Cup opening round, and his best moment was a drilled spiral that went out on the full, albeit it landed about a metre too far. With that in the locker, it’s a big weapon to have.

"But there’s so much more to him, even now. I didn’t see what the Leinster fuss was, but I get it now even though the vibes coming from Irish camp for the autumn series were this guy has it. Well, I remained a doubter, even if my body of evidence was shallow.

"My bad. Those bearing witness have seen him Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and they clearly know what they know. The rest of us are beginning to see it now, how coaches get what we don’t. And he will only get better.

He’s not 22 til February by which time he may have a couple of big Six Nations starts under his belt."

Subscribers can read Ronan O'Gara's full column here.