Sam Prendergast has made his maiden start in an Irish shirt but things could have been so different for the talented young fly-half against Fiji on Saturday afternoon.
It was Prendergast's Leinster teammate and Ireland debutant Gus McCarthy who cut an emotional figure ahead of the match and he was involved in the opening try, cleverly finding Caelan Doris who crossed the whitewash. Prendergast made no mistake from the tee, putting Ireland 7-0 ahead.
However, the out-half was caught out just moments later when Fiji's Kitione Salawa chased his own grubber kick down the right flank and was taken out by the 21-year-old on the turn.
TMO Mike Adamson called for a review, with Prendergast ultimately being yellow carded but his offence was not upgraded to a review despite the bunker system being used.
Replays showed that Prendergast's shoulder made clear contact with the head of Salawa as he made the turn, but ultimately it was not deemed dangerous enough to warrant his dismissal.
𝐘𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 🟨
Sam Prendergast off with a bunker review for a high challenge.#IREvFIJ | #AutumnNationsSeries pic.twitter.com/KpRRyecO1p— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) November 23, 2024
Josh van der Flier added a second try in Prendergast's absence, with scrum-half Craig Casey kicking the conversion while he was sidelined.
Sam Prendergast 'lucky' to avoid red card on first Ireland start
The occasion marked Prendergast's first start in an Ireland shirt having made his debut against Argentina from the replacements bench a week prior.
However, former England international Ben Kay believes he was 'lucky' not to have had his big day ended prematurely for his offence in the first 10 minutes,
I think he's lucky from what I know," Kay said on TNT Sports.
"Maybe the force wasn't that big but when it's slightly cynical and he deliberately checks someone, getting your timing of the tackle wrong... it just doesn't sit right."
Brian O'Driscoll, who was also on duty for the broadcaster, shared his belief that Prendergast should not have benefitted from any mitigating factors given that he made no attempt to wrap on his tackle.
'I thought mitigation was removed if you were always illegal which he always was because there was no attempt to wrap."
Veteran Irish rugby commentator Ryle Nugent shared similar senitments, labelling Prendergast a 'lucky fella' on social media.
Sam Prendergast a lucky fella.. and the wrong call for me.. #IREvFij
— Ryle Nugent (@ryle_nugent) November 23, 2024
Ireland took full advantage of retaining 15 players on the field as Craig Casey added a third try for his side off the back of an effective lineout maul.
Prendergast's conversion was impressive and he was involved again with a tidy cross-field kick to find Mack Hansen for Ireland's fourth try in the first-half.
