Leo Cullen has made brave calls with the 10 jersey this season, and it is no different for the URC final.
After making the difficult call to drop Sam Prendergast for Harry Byrne following the Six Nations, where Prendergast had been dropped for Jack Crowley as well, Cullen has opted to back the young 10 for the knockout stages of the URC and has chosen him again for the final against the Bulls.Β
Byrne started the Champions Cup final, but Leinster struggled to get any breakthrough against the Bordeaux Begles defensive line and without the flair that Prendergast can offer, were beaten confidently in Bilbao.Β
Prendergast has also been included in the Ireland squad, with Jack Crowley missing the Rugby Nations Championship through injury.
What are the worries with Sam Prendergast?
Sam Prendergast in an exceptional attacking 10, particularly when playing on a team that has a majority of the possession and the territory. He has great pass selection and a pace of playing which allows his teams to take advantage of quick ball from the forwards.
For Prendergast, the problems have always arisen when it comes to the more physical nature of the game. When a defence gets line speed and up in his face, he can panic with the ball in hand and this can impact his accuracy. There have also been consistent challenges of his defensive abilities, where has struggled with completing tackles and has offered opposition and easy part of the defensive line to target.
Leinster vs Bulls Grand Final preview
Leinster vs Bulls URC Grand Final takes place at Croke Park on Friday night. Prendergast has been back in the 10 shirt with Harry Byrne waiting on the bench. Ciaran Frawley has played his final game for Leinster as he will be moving to Connacht for next season.
This is a repeat of the final last year, where Leinster ran out as comfortable 32-7 winners. This was one of the Prendergastβs more comfortable games in a Leinster shirt.Β
Earlier in the year, Leinster travelled to South Africa, where they lost 39-31 to the Bulls, having been in the lead with fewer than 15 minutes to go.Β
Leinster have overcome South African opposition at home on their way to the final in both the quarterfinals, beating the Lions and semis, where they defeated the Stormers.
