Emerging Ireland captain Alex Kendellen eager to impress on 'shop window' tour

Alex Kendellen admits it's tough to miss three Munster games but says the Emerging Ireland players are in the "shop window".

Simon Easterby's tourists take on the Pumas tomorrow (3pm Irish time) before facing Western Force and the Cheetahs on Sunday and Wednesday week.

Munster back row Kendellen is the team captain, having missed out on the tour two years ago after getting knocked out in a URC match with Connacht.

"Yeah, it's tough, but you're putting on a green jersey and that doesn't come around too often so it's a special moment for all of us players here," said the 23-year-old, who missed Munster's defeat to Zebre and won't be available against Ospreys or Leinster.

"It's an opportunity for us lads to put our hands up with senior coaches here coaching us

"We're under no illusions, everyone is kind of in the shop window here but it's about bringing the team together here and trying to work as best you can for the guy next to you [which] is very important.

"I think that leads to performance then so it's important for us to come together as quickly as possible."

Six of the 2022 Emerging Ireland squad, including Joe McCarthy, Jack Crowley and Calvin Nash, have gone on to become senior regulars for Andy Farrell, and Kendellen says that only serves as extra motivation.

"Yeah, 100%," he says.

"There’s a clear trajectory for those players anyway, who’ve come through.

"Even the lads down in Munster, the Jack Crowleys, the Calvin Nashs, you see them perform on the biggest stages, in World Cups and Six Nations, so yeah, it’s massive for us as players to look at that and see what they’ve done and how they’ve taken their opportunity.

"I was lucky enough to pick a few of their brains about what this tour is like and stuff like that and