Fin Smith: I don't have a hostile relationship with Sam Prendergast

The two are currently rivals for both Champions Cup glory this Saturday and British & Irish Lions selection.

FRIENDLY RIVALS: Northampton Saints' Fin Smith has a lot of respect for Sam Prendergast. Pic: Joe Giddens/PA Wire.

They may be rivals for both Champions Cup glory this Saturday and British & Irish Lions selection beyond but Northampton Saints fly-half Fin Smith insisted there was no hostility between him and Leinster counterpart Sam Prendergast ahead of their Aviva Stadium semi-final clash.

Ten days short of his 23rd birthday, England’s starting fly-half Smith is older than his Ireland Test foe by only nine months and they have been locking horns on the field since they were teenagers.

That was not too long ago but their meetings have quickly developed from age-grade internationals to the Test arena and via a high stakes European last-four duel at Croke Park two months ago.

Throw in the spectre of next Thursday’s Lions squad announcement for the summer tour to Australia and it adds up to quite the head-to-head in Dublin this weekend.

"He's brilliant, isn't he? Since he's taken to professional rugby he's not really put a foot wrong,” Smith said of Prendergast.

"It's funny, I played against him as a 19-year-old, I think I was, and he was 18, for the U20s, and I think he kicked a penalty late on in the game from 50 out to get the game over the line for them.

“I didn't actually know much about him at that time but since then, yeah, I've obviously sort of kept an eye on him and we've stayed in touch very loosely and always sort of wished each other well.

"In terms of his traits, like, he's an unbelievable game-manager, plays the space really well. He's a real triple threat - run, kick pass - and he just seems like a real calm, calm customer.

"So yeah, our job is obviously to try and put him under pressure.

"Obviously everyone's talking about a head-to-head (for Lions selection) and things like that. I'm going to be as boring as I can and say I've got to focus on playing well personally and he'll be doing the same. 

"But yeah, it's these sorts of games where you're up against someone like that, it's always a match-up we look forward to."

Expanding on the off-field interactions between the two 10s, Smith explained: “I’ve been in touch with him on Instagram, very loosely. He messaged me after the game at Croke Park last year and said ‘well done today. Sorry, I didn't get to see you but all the best for the rest of the season’.

“And then actually caught up with him just after England had played Ireland (on February 1), just had a brief chat at the bar and said ‘well done today’ and chatting about ‘nawsy’ stuff that fly-halves chat about.

“I've got a lot of respect for him and I'd like to say he does likewise. It's definitely not a hostile relationship, but we both want to win, don’t we, so we’ll see.”