Cullen confident Prendergast can kick on after impressive Bristol outing

BIG STRIDES: Sam Prendergast of Leinster on the way to scoring his side's second try during the Champions Cup Round 1 match between Bristol Bears and Leinster. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Leo Cullen is confident that Sam Prendergast can “kick on” again against Clermont Auvergne this weekend having backed up his first forays in an Irish jersey with an impressive display away to Bristol Bears last Sunday.

Prendergast, still only 21, started in the Champions Cup for the first time against Pat Lam’s Premiership high-flyers having made his Ireland debut against Argentina in November and backed that up with starts against Fiji and Australia.

Leinster found themselves 7-0 and two men down approaching half-time at Ashton Gate five days ago but held their ground and their nerve to claim a big bonus point win. Their young out-half claimed two tries and did so much more.

“He dealt with the challenge well last week in Bristol and the different things that were thrown at us in the first-half,” said his head coach. “There were disciplinary issues and the yellow cards and how Sam manages that period ten minutes prior to half-time, there is great learning in that for a young player.

“When you have a young player every week you want to see them progress. He is picking up invaluable experience every week he plays and you are hoping that fuels the next performance.

“We’re not getting carried away with what happened at the weekend. There were parts of our performance that needs to be better. Ten being such an integral part of the year, particularly from an attacking point of view, we’re hoping we’ll see an improved performance and Sam kicks on again.” 

Leinster follow that opener up with the visit of one of France’s biggest clubs to the Aviva Stadium for a 5.30pm kick-off on Saturday. It will make for a very different challenge to the one posed by an attack-minded Bristol.

The Top 14 side is far more pragmatic but, while Clermont have been one of the most consistent of French teams in Europe down the years, it remains to be seen how much intent they display in Ballsbridge this time.

“Clermont, in terms of Christophe Urios coached-teams, they will be physical and direct,” said Cullen. “You look at Fritz Lee, such an experienced campaigner in this competition, George Moala, All Black at 12, they bring serious physicality.

“They have some very good young, talented French players thrown in with very experienced players like Mike Ala’alatoa, who obviously knows us well. They’ll kick a fair bit from nine, and then it’s making sure we are not getting frustrated and playing ourselves into trouble.

“It’s going to be a good test for us. Even listening to some of the soundbites coming out of their camp and referencing different games they would have looked at gives us a little bit of indication of their mindset that they will bring, but there’s never any guarantee with any of these things.”