Leinster have confirmed that Sam Prendergast has agreed a new contract having signed his first senior deal in August 2023. The 22-year-old Kildare native made his senior debut for the province against the Lions two years ago and has since gone on to make 25 appearances, scoring 130-points.
Prendergast was part of the Ireland Under-20 team that won a Grand Slam – he was voted player of the tournament – earlier that year and also reached the Under-20 World Cup final which the team lost to France. His performances in the age-grade Six Nations tournament prompted the former All Black Sonny Bill Williams to tweet “Sam Prendergast. Remember the name my friends.”
The young outhalf was called up as a training panellist by Ireland head coach Andy Farrell ahead of last season’s Six Nations and, having played 16 matches for Leinster was named in the Ireland squad for the summer tour to South Africa, a series the visitors drew 1-1.
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Prendergast made his Ireland debut in a 17-minute cameo off the bench against Argentina and started the following two Tests against Fiji and Australia.
He retained the 10 jersey for the first four matches in the Six Nations before dropping to the bench and coming on as a replacement against Italy in the victory in Rome, the last of his eight caps to date during which he has scored 59 points.
He has made the starting jersey at Leinster his own this season for the province’s Champions Cup matches, in the run-on team for the pool matches against Bristol Bears, Clermont Auvergne, La Rochelle and Bath.
Ross Byrne is set to depart Leinster for Gloucester at the end of the season, Harry Byrne is currently on loan at Bristol Bears until the summer while the province’s other options at outhalf include Ciarán Frawley, another 20’s Grand Slam winning outhalf Charlie Tector, who has excelled in switching to inside centre, and academy prospect, Caspar Gabriel, currently with the senior squad in South Africa.
