21-YEAR-OLD out-half Sam Prendergast will start at out-half for Leinster in tomorrow’s URC clash with Connacht, who hope to sign the talented playmaker on loan for next season.
Connacht have made an approach to bring Leinster man Prendergast to Galway on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, with the out-half, his province, and the IRFU currently considering the proposal.
In the meantime, Prendergast will make his sixth senior start for Leinster in tomorrow’s final regular-season URC game against the westerners at the RDS [KO 7.35pm, TG4].
Leinster boss Leo Cullen has named Ciarán Frawley at inside centre in a team that sees only Jamie Osborne retained from last weekend’s starting XV for the Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse.
Scott Penny will captain Leinster, while Rhys Ruddock starts in the back row after confirmation yesterday that he will retire at the end of the season. Ed Byrne and Ross Molony, who are leaving the province his summer, also start. Dan Sheehan and Ryan Baird, who started the Champions Cup final, are included on the Leinster bench.
Garry Ringrose continues to be sidelined by the shoulder injury that has plagued him in recent months.
Meanwhile, Connacht have handed a debut to academy wing Shane Mallon, while Argentina international Santiago Cordero gets his first start for the province at fullback.
Leitrim man Mallon came through with Longford RFC and Roscrea College and was part of the Grand Slam-winning Ireland U20s side in 2022.
Hooker Dave Heffernan will make his 200th appearance for Connacht in Dublin, with Jack Carty captaining the team from out-half.
Connacht have an outside shot of grabbing a place in the URC play-offs if they win and other results go their way, while Leinster will be keen to notch a big victory that might see them finish in the top two if results elsewhere favour them.
Leinster:
15. Jimmy O’Brien
14. Tommy O’Brien
13. Jamie Osborne
12. Ciarán Frawley
11. Rob Russell
10. Sam Prendergast
9. Cormac Foley
1. Ed Byrne
2. Rónan Kelleher
3. Thomas Clarkson
4. Ross Molony
5. Brian Deeny
6. Rhys Ruddock
7. Scott Penny (captain)
8. Jack Conan
Replacements:
16. Dan Sheehan
17. Michael Milne
18. Michael Ala’alatoa
19. Ryan Baird
20. Max Deegan
21. Luke McGrath
22. Harry Byrne
23. Charlie Ngatai
Connacht:
15. Santiago Cordero
14. Shane Jennings
13. David Hawkshaw
12. Cathal Forde
11. Shane Mallon
10. Jack Carty (captain)
9. Caolin Blade
1. Peter Dooley
2. Dave Heffernan
3. Finlay Bealham
4. Joe Joyce
5. Niall Murray
6. Cian Prendergast
7. Conor Oliver
8. Sean Jansen
Replacements:
16. Dylan Tierney-Martin
17. Denis Buckley
18. Jack Aungier
19. Darragh Murray
20. Seán O’Brien
21. Colm Reilly
22. Byron Ralston
23. Tom Daly
Referee: Chris Busby [IRFU].
