Sam Prendergast audition teases at 'huge potential' for Leinster and Connacht

Sam Prendergast passed his audition with flying colours on Friday night at the RDS, but the question of where he will play his rugby next season remains.

Reports last week linked the 21-year-old Leinster out-half with a possible loan switch to Connacht, where his older brother Cian also plays.

Prendergast has played 15 times for the province this season and is in competition for the 10 shirt with Ireland internationals Ross Byrne, Harry Byrne and Ciarán Frawley.

Connacht, meanwhile, have Jack Carty but will be without JJ Hanrahan for a number of months after the out-half suffered a serious knee injury against Dragons in April.

Speaking following his side's season-ending BKT URC loss to Leinster on Friday night, Pete Wilkins heaped praise on the former U20s star but was adamant any discussions are off his radar.

"Yeah, look, he’s a lovely player, I think he’s got huge potential. As things stand, I don’t know about it and that’s not trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes," he said.

"It’s genuinely reflecting where it’s at.

"We have obviously lost JJ for the best part of next season, certainly until the New Year anyway. I think it’s important we get another 10 in, partly as back-up to Jack Carty but also as competition.

"I think both JJ and Jack have stepped up this year in terms of having that competition with each other, so I think it is important [to sign an out-half].

"Who that is going to be, I honestly don’t know.

"We are at the stage of compiling a shortlist. That can be people outside of Ireland. We have scope to do that for something like this.

"I think it will be a short-term agreement or a medium-term loan, but you also look in Ireland and that means for something like that to come to fruition, you need the IRFU aligned