Criticism and scrutiny of Sam Prendergast has gone too far

Extra.ie​

4 hours ago

Leinster got their groove back on Saturday.
A hapless Glasgow side – the defending champions, lest we forget – felt the full force of a vengeful team, which is on a mission to secure a first trophy for the province in four seasons.
After all the recent criticism, virtually every player on the pitch delivered a top-class performance.
Andrew Porter and Dan Sheehan looked like Test Lions-in-waiting, while Thomas Clarkson, who was filling in for the stricken Tadhg Furlong at tighthead, delivered arguably the most compelling performance of his fledgling career. Sam Prendergast. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Joe McCarthy and James Ryan were ferocious on both sides of the ball. Again, both second rows are primed to have big summers with Andy Farrell's tourists in Australia.
Ryan Baird went home with the player-of-the-match award after 80 minutes of relentless industry. Scott Penny showed up well. Jack Conan led from the front. Not bad for a backrow unit missing Josh van der Flier and Caelan Doris.
Jamison Gibson-Park was as sharp as ever. Jordie Barrett was rock solid. Jamie Osborne capped off a busy shift with a brace of tries. Tommy O'Brien and James Lowe brought heaps of energy. Jimmy O'Brien, filling in for the injured Hugo Keenan, caught the eye, too.
Ronan Kelleher, RG Snyman, Max Deegan and Ciaran Frawley brought energy from the bench while Ross Byrne delivered his customary calm and poise when he entered the fray. Jordie Barrett Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile
There was one outlier in an otherwise dominant display from the hosts. Sam Prendergast didn't have his best outing.
Once again, the young Leinster out-half delivered a mixed performance. Yes, Leinster's attack hummed and fizzed with intent all afternoon. The hosts crossed for six tries and had two more chalked off by TMO interventions. If anything, the 37-19 scoreline flattered the Scots in the end.
It could have even been greater if Prendergast didn't have such an off-day with the kicking tee, missing four conversions, a penalty and a drop-goal during an unconvincing shift.
Once again, Prendergast's defence was suspect at key moments. None of this is new.
And, ahead of Saturday's URC Grand Final against a physically imposing Bulls side, there is a genuine case to be made for Byrne or Frawley to wear the No10 jersey. Leo Cullen. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
It's doubtful that Leo Cullen will make such a radical change at this stage. The Leinster supremo has backed Prendergast as playmaker-in-chief all season. It would be a radical move to bench his first-choice out-half in the week of such a pivotal game.
No doubt, there will be plenty of scrutiny about Prendergast's performance against Glasgow in the coming days. It's been the same story all season. You'd wonder if the Kildare native is a bit worn down from constantly being under this rugby-shaped microscope.
At the end of the day, this is the reality of being a professional rugby player in this country. No player should be immune from critical analysis.
When it comes to assessing the strengths and weaknesses of Prendergast's game, however, a lot of the criticism has crossed the line.
It's worth pointing out that Prendergast is still only 22 and this is essentially his first full season at the top level.
He only made his international debut in November, as a second-half replacement against Argentina, and has gone on to win a further seven caps for his country. For context, Johnny Sexton made his Test bow at age 24.
Prendergast has been learning on the job. His development was accelerated by Andy Farrell who saw immense potential in a player who spearheaded a talented Ireland U20s team which made a Junior World Cup final in the summer of 2023. Sam Prendergast. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile
The Ireland head coach brought Prendergast into the national setup despite the fact that he was behind the Byrne brothers and Frawley in the Leinster pecking order.
The penny seemed to drop with Cullen, with the Leinster boss turning to Prendergast to lead Leinster in this campaign. Prendergast started his first Champions Cup game (against Bristol) and his first interpro (against Munster) in December.
He started four straight Six Nations games before making way for Jack Crowley ahead of the final-round clash with Italy in Rome.
It's been a meteoric rise for such a young player in such a pivotal position. And the outside noise has been deafening at times.
Prendergast has been love-bombed by certain commentators and loathed by others.
Not so long ago, some observers – including some former Lions and prominent pundits – were installing Prendergast as the leading contender to wear the No10 shirt against Joe Schmidt's Wallabies this summer.
Meanwhile, there has been some vitriolic criticism of Prendergast across social media, particularly from a cohort of Munster supporters who feel that Crowley had been unfairly usurped as Ireland's first-choice No10. Said fans have been angered by the so-called 'Leinsterification' of the national team.
Both viewpoints have been extreme and unwarranted. Prendergast is far from the finished article. He isn't physically or mentally ready to boss a Lions Test series. But he doesn't deserve to be ridiculed by faceless fan accounts on social media either. Jack Crowley. Pic: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
A video mocking Prendergast's attempted tackle on Henry Pollock began to do the rounds across WhatsApp in the days after Leinster's Champions Cup semi-final defeat against Northampton. It was cheap and mean spirited.
We're veering into cyberbullying territory. We're not talking about a seasoned Test veteran here. This is a young man who has been thrown in at the deep end because his province felt he had the highest ceiling among a stable of talented out-halves while the international management felt he was a player who could have a major impact at the 2027 World Cup, and beyond.
You'd hope that all is this outside noise hasn't had any lasting effects on Prendergast.
In November 2023, England legend Owen Farrell announced he would be giving the 2024 Six Nations a swerve to 'prioritise his and his family's wellbeing.'
Farrell subsequently signed for Racing 92 and hasn't been seen in an England shirt since. Just like Prendergast, the 33-year-old has been a lightning rod for online barbs and relentless scrutiny. Farrell voted with his feet. He had enough of all the negativity. He wasn't enjoying it anymore.
You'd hate to think that Prendergast would feel compelled to do something similar. He doesn't look like someone whose enjoying all this attention at the moment. Maybe it's time for people to give the kid a break.