Neil Keegan
Sam and overreactions!
The recent craziness involving a massively talented and very young player has me reaching for the laptop to try and figure out where we are and what we are doing with the 10 jersey in our provinces and the big jersey. As well as offering some ideas on keeping all of the spinning plates, spinning.
But before conversation starts, we have to have a few agreeable points to start off with.
1. We have a pool of talented (and very different players) to choose from, this is a positive
2. Sam Prendergast is still a very young man with talent we can’t even dream of
3. The door shouldn’t be shut on any player in form
4. We tried being married to a 10 for generations and that didn’t work, so change is needed
I don’t think any of the above will cause an argument on social media or any barstool in the land, so lets continue.
If the world cup was tomorrow, the choice would be between, Jack Crowley, Harry Byrne, Ciaran Frawley and Sam Prendergast . I haven’t written those in order of preference, just listing them. Coming into November 2025 the order would have been Sam, Jack, Ciaran and Harry. But I put forward a theory that we should have access to them all on any given day. Which means that one of those players is nailed on 23 on match day. So if we have a backup 9 and 10 (eg Casey / Doak and Harry) that would mean there is only 1 option at 23 and that is Ciaran Frawley. That is only as of 9th April 2026 and rugby changes weekly but as the youngest, Sam has the most time to grow and the biggest return on investment of the group. He also has the biggest mountain to climb in terms of the damage done over the last 2 seasons where maybe he should have been the bench 10 and slowly brought forward. That isn’t his fault. If someone offers you a start for Ireland you take it. But the risk reward ratio was always going to be a tough one. So now, rebuilding Sam is another task on the Leinster and Ireland management. A task definitely worth doing. When Harry was feeling underutilised he took a loan move away from Leinster and came back a fully formed boss of a 10. Watching him against Edinburgh last weekend was very impressive. He controlled everything well, picked the right choices and nailed all of his kicks, even some tough sideline conversions.
A 10 must sink kicks! If we have a kick to break the quarter final curse, right now it is Harry you want standing over the ball. But in order to get into that position to kick for a win against a top 3 team, you may need some magic which is what Sam has the most potential to give you. Everything is risk reward, which is the point I am making.
The best thing we can do is for Sam to be there on match day, work with the team, get the confidence back and re-integrate him into the team slowly with Harry taking ownership of the 10 jersey for the rest of the season. Leinster need to see the same faces on the pitch for the remainder.
So now, lets look to our Munster family. A team in long term disarray (I take zero pleasure (banter aside) in saying that). Munster have had moments that have papered over the craters starting way back with the Andrew Conway try against Toulon. If that didn’t happen then change may have come sooner. Munster is beyond divided. Cork and Limerick may aswell be Inis Mor and Miami the way the Munster bosses carry on. It has nothing to do with money, and all to do with organisation. Munster didn’t have more schools when they where developing the generational talent of the previous champions cup winning sides. They had far better organisation and integrations of all areas of the province. Now it is insular and beyond childish. Which is why the team should be applauded. Especially after being nil’d in South Africa in their first game of the trip. They came back and should have won the next one, that shows spirit, stubbornness and pride. Things Munster always had.
But now that needs to be backed up with good signings, good management and a full Thomond Park. 1 kick away from winning that game, 10’s need to live for that pressure and deliver. Jack has returned from the 6 Nations as the boss of both jerseys and is playing like it. He needs to be playing knockout rugby, for Irelands sake. But the positives are there in the team similar to when a child is left home alone and didn’t burn the house down.
We need a strong Munster, the blazers should walk away instead of making it worse
But lets finish on the in form player, a player who has come back from adversity and delivered on big stages anytime he is asked. Ciaran Frawley is now indispensable at 23 on every team sheet. He can play anywhere in the back line, midfield and 10. It wasn’t long ago he won us a tour of South Africa with a drop goal, weeks after calling it on himself for Leinster and missing. His move to Connacht is fantastic for him.
Which means that the list I started with is already obsolete.
Rugby moves fast, stay calm, stay rational and don’t post on social media after 12 pints.
Neil Keegan is a stand up comedian and goes by the stage name of ‘KeegoLaughs’ you can search for tour dates and clips on Youtube – he’s also a rugby supporter.