'we're Not Johnny' - Prendergast Forging Own Path

Quilter Nations Series: Ireland v Australia

Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 20:10 GMT

Coverage: Live connected BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2, Radio Ulster, BBC Sounds and nan BBC Sport website and app

Speaking to reporters connected Tuesday, Sam Prendergast revealed nan Fast & Furious films person been his go-to root of intermezo distant from nan rugby section recently.

An apt franchise, perhaps, for a subordinate who has knowledgeable an action-packed freshman twelvemonth arsenic an Irish world fly-half.

And fixed that Saturday's crippled against Australia will people precisely 1 twelvemonth since Prendergast's Ireland debut, nan 22-year-old has been reflecting connected nan first shape of his Test journey.

"We had a bully pre-season successful Leinster, I took nan first fewer weeks trying not to deliberation astir rugby and getting into a spot of training," he said.

"I thought it was a bully attack because I felt rather quiet coming into Leinster and past enjoyed nan pre-season. The frustrating point astir that is it didn't construe connected nan transportation to commencement nan play off.

"I would person done a small spot of reflecting and looking backmost connected games I could study nan astir retired of and trying not to get tripped up by nan aforesaid things that tripped maine up past year."

Prendergast was propelled into elder world rugby past twelvemonth without having started a Champions Cup crippled for Leinster.

He usurped Jack Crowley, who played each infinitesimal of Ireland's triumphant 2024 Six Nations campaign, and remained successful situ for overmuch of this year's title against nan backdrop of a lively fly-half statement betwixt Irish rugby fans online.

However, having started wins complete England, Scotland and Wales, he was dropped pursuing a dismal 42-27 conclusion by France that yet wrecked Ireland's bid for a 3rd successive title.

Prendergast missed retired connected nan British and Irish Lions squad and was incapable to wrest nan Ireland jersey distant from Crowley for nan All Blacks conclusion successful Chicago a fortnight agone and past week's triumph complete Japan.

"If either of america are getting bogged down by nan rotation complete nan past year, I suppose it's selfish, arsenic successful we'd some opportunity we're being selfish," said Prendergast, who admitted he was "disappointed" pinch his capacity disconnected nan chair against New Zealand.

"I deliberation we some work together it's important to enactment affirmative and effort to lend to nan squad arsenic champion we can.

"Jack has played very good nan first 2 games and started nan play really well. We some get on very good and stock nan aforesaid ambitions, it's not that difficult to get on. As I said, if either of america are getting bogged down by nan rotation, it's rather a selfish point to do."

Prendergast and Crowley are moving nether legendary Ireland fly-half Johnny Sexton, who is pinch nan Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU] full-time aft helping caput coach Andy Farrell connected a part-time ground past year.

Comparisons to Sexton are to beryllium expected, but 11-cap Prendergast insists trying to imitate nan erstwhile World Rugby Player of nan Year is not nan measurement guardant for nan existent harvest of Irish fly-halves.

"Johnny played for Ireland and Leinster for truthful long, I don't deliberation it's going to activity if we're each trying to beryllium for illustration Johnny, because we're not Johnny.

"We person to effort and beryllium ourselves. We're each coached and taught nan aforesaid things, but we want to put our ain flavour connected it and that's erstwhile each of america get nan astir retired of nan team."

With nan objection of Ciaran Frawley's 29-minute cameo against Portugal successful nan summer, Ireland's fly-half rotation has been restricted to Prendergast and Crowley.

That is successful stark opposition to nan Wallabies, who person fielded 7 players successful nan position successful 2025.

Following an wounded to Noah Lolesio, Ben Donaldson, Tom Lynagh, James O'Connor, Tane Edmed and Hamish Stewart each had run-outs astatine 10 nether Joe Schmidt earlier nan code-crossing Carter Gordon returned for past weekend's nonaccomplishment to Italy.

It was Gordon's first Test since nan 2023 Rugby World Cup aft a spell pinch Gold Coast Titans successful nan National Rugby League, and nan turbulent fly-half business makes Australia harder to fig retired for Prendergast.

"Carter Gordon's conscionable backmost from rugby convention and I cognize he took a consequence going to rugby convention and it possibly didn't activity retired because of injury.

"But I deliberation it was a cool move for him and I'd opportunity he learnt a batch and is coming backmost pinch a caller perspective.

"It makes it a small spot harder but out-halves cognize nan much you tin play nan amended you tin go from learning week connected week.

"If there's that overmuch rotation, does that make it a spot harder? I'm not excessively sure. I still deliberation nan small spot of freshness they adhd successful astatine 10 tin suit them astatine times."