Prendergast 'inspired' by younger brother Sam as he targets RWC place

As one of the young pups in the Ireland squad, Cian Prendergast doesn't have to go far to find inspiration.

In his own positions across the second and back row, he has the likes of Peter O’Mahony, Iain Henderson and James Ryan, experienced campaigners and captains. Above him on the coaching ticket he has Paul O’Connell to bounce ideas off.

In recent months though, he’s been in awe at the growth of his younger brother Sam.

The younger Prendergast played a starring role for the Ireland U20s in their Six Nations Grand Slam success, and a month later kicked the winning points and was player of the match on his Leinster debut.

Most recently, Sam was a key figure in the Irish side that reached the World Rugby U20 Championship final in South Africa, matching Ireland’s best ever finish at the tournament.

"His schedule had been fairly hectic, this camp has been fairly hectic, but I've been able to catch up with him on the phone, in between games," the Connacht back row says of his brother.

The U20’s run to the final was all the more remarkable by the challenges they faced along the way, with the shocking deaths of former St Michael’s College student Andrew O’Donnell and Max Wall who were known to several members of that squad, before the tragic accident that killed Greig Oliver – father of their teammate Jack – in Cape Town.

"Just to see how they dealt and coped with it was just amazing to see. I was inspired by my brother, in a way, to see that.

"That week of that Fiji game I think I was probably the most proud I've ever been of him, watching him come on against Fiji when the tide was going a little bit against them.

"You could see that the game could go either way and he [Sam] kind of dealt with it quite maturely and just watching him