Ronan O’Gara could not help but purr. Peering on from his pitchside perch as a pundit on the BBC’s coverage, one of the great Irish controlling fly halves was watching the Six Nations emergence of another.
“He's been a master of control,” the La Rochelle coach lauded of Sam Prendergast with Ireland in total command in Edinburgh. “He's very composed, a good kick strategy, good decisions on when to run, when to kick, when to play the ball in front of his forwards.”
There was little surprise about Ireland’s superiority. Despite the huge strides Scotland have made over the last seven years, Gregor Townsend’s side just never seem able to deliver their best against an opponent that have now won the last 11 meetings. The hosts were not at all aided by Finn Russell and Darcy Graham’s early departures after a sickening clash of heads, but that collision came long after they had already been played off the park in a near-faultless first quarter from Ireland.
Key to another showing that demonstrated their champion qualities was their dominance of the kicking battle. Scotland are typically a team that kick long, using the big boots of Finn Russell, Blair Kinghorn, Ben White and co. to gain territory and play in the right areas. But Ireland managed to put severe pressure on their attempts to clear, collecting a couple of charge-downs to trap Scotland in their own end.
By contrast, Ireland were excellent with the boot, with Prendergast to the fore. In all, they recorded more than double the kick metres of their hosts (747.5 to 348.6) – while some of this was due to Scotland’s need to chase a deficit in the second half, it speaks also to how Ireland’s dominated in a crucial facet.
Prendergast was the figure of centrality within that. According to insights from Sage, his 11 in-play kicks were a match-high, while his total territory gain of 335m was far superior to anyone else on the pitch. Aided by James Lowe’s left-footed lumping, Ireland consistently cleared their lines to prevent Scotland mounting sustained offensives, setting up a comfortable bonus point win.
The tone was sent from the very first minute. After a couple of aimless phases inside their own half, Scotland scrum half White put up a contestable box kick that James Lowe claimed superbly above his head on the Irish ten-metre line. Having set a platform by putting Peter O’Mahony into a half-hole, Prendergast quickly drops back into the pocket to launch his first up-and-under. It is perfectly weighted, allowing Calvin Nash to challenge without breaking stride and very nearly win back possession.
Kinghorn returns with a kick of his own before Prendergast produces the longest kick of the tournament so far, a 57.6m spiral punt that pins Scotland back in their own 22. With the Irish chase well-formed, an ambitious chip and chase doesn’t quite stay in the full back’s hands – Ireland have a set-piece and are settled into the contest having drawn the first error.
Their pressure didn’t release thereafter. A few minutes later, another scrum platform on halfway allows Prendergast to show off his attacking game. Driving at the line with square shoulders, the fly half releases a deft pass at the line behind a charging Bundee Aki for James Lowe off his blindside wing, creating the space through which Robbie Henshaw is then sent to earn Ireland a first 22 entry. Notice how Prendergast’s taking of the ball to the line has forced both Scottish centres (Tom Jordan and Huw Jones) to turn their shoulders in with Russell having to commit to the tackle - that affords Henshaw just enough space to get away from Jones’s tackle attempt.
Scotland manage to scramble but the pressure eventually tells after seven minutes. With advantage granting Ireland extra freedom to play to width, Prendergast demands the ball from Jamison Gibson-Park having recognised a one-man overlap. With Kinghorn drawn by Hugo Keenan, Prendergast finds Calvin Nash all alone on the wide outside – the skill looks simple but the fizzed left-hand pass was the longest of the Six Nations across rounds one and two, travelling 24.4m at a speed of 48.6kph.
A small snippet the opening ten minutes may be but it is clear why Ireland feel Prendergast has sky-high potential. This trip to Murrayfield was his first international engagement away from the Aviva Stadium, but the youngster, who celebrates his 22nd birthday on Wednesday, showed calm and composure throughout.
“The only experience I have of the Six Nations before this is in the under-20s, but in terms of building game to game, it's quite similar,” Prendergast said afterwards.
"You just need to keep taking each game as it comes. I'm not too focused on milestones, I'm just focused on getting better each week. You look at the backs outside me and in terms of the managing the game, the help I get, there's a lot of world-class players in that backline.
"It's a lot easier, and then what the forwards are giving us both from the starters and bench, it's unbelievable to be a part of."
Not everything worked across 80 minutes, and the lanky fly half has a tendency to stay too upright in the tackle, which led to a few defensive hiccups. But the trust that interim head coach Simon Easterby has in the Leinster fly half was clear from the fact that he kept him on the pitch throughout, bringing Jack Crowley on at full-back.
Crowley has a huge part to play in this campaign and beyond, you feel, possessing many of the same strengths as his younger rival for the 10 shirt. But there is a sense that Prendergast is seen as a Johnny Sexton-like figure capable of really unlocking Ireland’s structured attack. Sexton has been a guiding force to both men ahead of this tournament, providing expert input on an attacking strategy that has produced the goods so far.
“He was good, wasn’t he?” said Easterby with a smile afterwards. “Playing in a different game away from home, he delivered not only in terms of mixing his game, attacking the line, his kicking game, but also off the tee, he was excellent.”
A debate over Prendergast and Crowley drawn along provincial lines is sure to continue; the pair need only ask Sexton or O’Gara the passion with which Leinster and Munster fans argue their man should get the shirt. but Prendergast’s cool, collected start to the Six Nations leave him very much the man in possession as Ireland continue their pursuit of history.
Smart ball insights by Sage. For more information visit sage.com/rugby
