Cian Prendergast

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Cian Prendergast
Date of birth (2000-02-23) 23 February 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Kildare, Ireland
Height1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)
Weight112 kg (247 lb; 17 st 9 lb)
School Newbridge College
Notable relative(s) Sam Prendergast (brother)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Flanker, Lock
Current team Connacht
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020– Connacht 65 (65)
Correct as of 14 April 2024
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
2020 Ireland U20 2 (0)
2022– Ireland 4 (0)
2022 Ireland Wolfhounds 1 (0)
Correct as of 23 November 2024

Cian Prendergast (born 23 February 2000) is an Irish professional rugby union player who plays as a flanker for United Rugby Championship club Connacht and the Ireland national team. [1]

Contents

Early life

Prendergast grew up in County Kildare and began playing rugby with Newbridge RFC (Ireland) at mini's level. He attended Newbridge College and captained both his school's Senior Cup team and the Leinster schools team in 2018. He also played Gaelic football for Suncroft.

He had hoped to play for Leinster but was told in April 2020 that there would be no place for him in the academy. Days after this announcement he was contacted by Connacht coach Eric Elwood. [2]

He has a younger brother Sam Prendergast, who is currently playing for Leinster and previously for the Ireland U20 Six Nations Team.

Professional career

Connacht

Prendergast joined the Connacht academy in summer 2020. [3] The following October he made his senior debut in Round 3 of the 2020–21 Pro14 against Edinburgh. [4] In March 2021, Connacht announced that he had signed a professional contract with the club. [5] In May 2022, and with one year on his deal still to run, Connacht announced a new longer term contract to keep him at the club until 2025. [6] In advance of the 2024/25 season, Prendergast was named club captain. [7]

Ireland

Prendergast was included as a development player in the Irish squad for the 2022 Six Nations Championship. [8]

In June 2022, he was included in the Ireland squad for the 2022 tour of New Zealand. [9] In November 2022, Prendergast was named on the bench and subsequently gained his first full cap in a test victory against Fiji. [10] [11]

In January 2023 he was named in Ireland's squad for the Six Nations. The following August Prendergast won his second cap off the bench against Italy and was then selected for his first international start at number eight against England. [12]

He was controversially left out of the 2024 Men's Six Nations squad, [13] while there isn't a confirmed reason for this, its likely the inclusion of Ulster flanker Nick Timoney in the squad is what meant Prendergast missed selection. Despite him being capped in 2022, and then starting for Ireland last year against England in the 2023 Summer Nations Series. [14]

In November 2024, he came on as a replacement in Ireland's 52-17 win against Fiji in the 2024 Autumn Nations Series. His brother was also on the pitch at the time, making his first start at fly half making this the first time the two had played together at the same time at international level. [15]

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References

  1. ↑ "Cian Prendergast". ultimaterugby.com. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  2. ↑ Mccary, Patrick. "Two years after Leinster heartbreak, Cian Prendergast is Ireland's best young player". SportsJoe. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  3. ↑ "Academy Squad". Connacht Rugby. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Pro14: Connacht beat Edinburgh 37-26 to secure bonus point". BBC Sport. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "Permanent move for Wootton among 21 new contracts announced by Connacht". 11 March 2021.
  6. ↑ "Cian Prendergast signs new long-term contract with Connacht". 13 May 2022.
  7. ↑ "Cian Prendergast named Connacht Rugby captain for 2024-25". 16 September 2024.
  8. ↑ "Mike Lowry and Mack Hansen included in Ireland's Six Nations squad". 19 January 2022.
  9. ↑ "Andy Farrell includes 5 uncapped players in 40-man Ireland squad to tour New Zealand". The 42. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  10. ↑ "Ireland v Fiji: Nine changes for Andy Farrell with Jeremy Loughman to win first cap". Irish Times. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  11. ↑ "Timoney double helps Farrell's Ireland to scrappy win over 14-man Fiji". the42. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  12. ↑ "Joey Carbery left out as Andy Farrell reveals Ireland's Six Nations squad". Irish Times. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Farrell Selects 34-Player Squad For Guinness Men’s Six Nations". Irish Rugby. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  14. ↑ "Prendergast gets first Irish start for England game". BBC Sport. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "Ireland pick up big win against Fiji - as it happened". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
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