Sam Prendergast and Ireland ready to embrace the target on their backs

"You mightn't recognise him, but this is Sam Prendergast..."

As Richie Murphy finished his media duties ahead of Saturday's World Rugby U20 Championship kick-off, the Ireland head coach's introduction of his out-half had more than a hint of sarcasm.

If you've had even a passive interest in Irish rugby over the last 12 months, it's likely you'll have seen the 20-year-old play.

The impending retirement of Johnny Sexton has seen any and all young out-halves in the country put under the microscope in recent seasons. Prendergast has passed the early eye-test.

After stealing the show in a Six Nations Grand Slam side in the spring, there were even some calls for him to be jettisoned into Andy Farrell's wider Irish squad for the Rugby World Cup in France. All aboard the Irish rugby hype-train.

Stripping back the hyperbole, there's no doubt that the 20-year-old has all the makings of a Test-level out-half. To start with, there appears to be an old head on those young, narrow shoulders. Much like his older brother Cian - currently part of the Ireland senior squad - the younger Prendergast looks undaunted by what's ahead of him.

While keen observers bought their stock in Prendergast when he led Newbridge College to the Leinster Schools Senior Cup final that was never played in 2020, his first real introduction to the Irish rugby public came a year ago, when he landed a late, long-distance penalty to see Ireland past England in the Six Nations Summer Series, before running the show in the 2023 championship as Ireland picked up a second successive Grand Slam.

Since that Six Nations win, the 20-year-old has gone on to earn his first two Leinster appearances, starting both games of their South African tour in April, scoring the winning