Prendergast’s Late Penalty Proves Decisive For Ireland U-20s

Sam Prendergast landed a 77th-minute penalty to top off his 18-point tally and guide the Ireland Under-20s to a nail-biting 33-31 win over France at Musgrave Park.

UNDER-20 SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 2:

Friday, February 10 –

IRELAND UNDER-20s 33 FRANCE UNDER-20s 31, Musgrave Park
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Paddy McCarthy, Hugh Gavin, Brian Gleeson; Cons: Sam Prendergast 3; Pens: Sam Prendergast 4
France: Tries: Hugo Auradou, Brent Liufau, Théo Attissogbe, Lenni Nouchi, Enzo Benmegal; Cons: Tom Raffy 2, Hugo Reus
HT: Ireland 20 France 14

Having missed a kick from further out, out-half Prendergast held his nerve to fire home his fourth penalty of the night as Ireland hung on to make it back-to-back victories in the U-20 Six Nations.

Richie Murphy’s young guns had led by 13 points at one stage during the first half, with Paddy McCarthy (12 minutes) and Hugh Gavin (30) both crossing and Prendergast kicking 10 points.

Despite losing Zaccharie Affane and Lenni Nouchi to the sin bin, France were clinical from limited chances as converted tries from locks Hugo Auradou and Brent Liufau kept them in touch at 20-14 down.

The final quarter began with les Bleuets leading 24-23, a Prendergast penalty cancelled out by unconverted scores from Théo Attissogbe and Nouchi as Ireland paid the price for yellows for George Hadden and Diarmuid Mangan.

With the sold-out home crowd generating a superb atmosphere, Brian Gleeson and Enzo Benmegal traded tries, France holding the lead in a grandstand finish thanks to Hugo Reus’ coolly-struck conversion from beside the right touchline.

Ireland regrouped and showed the greater composure during the dying minutes. Prendergast put his only miss behind him to slot over the match winner, bringing back memories of last year’s late triumph in Aix-en-Provence.

France’s back-three looked lively during the opening minutes, a Louis Bielle-Biarrey kick bouncing awkwardly for the covering Prendergast before Henry McErlean, on his first start, was able to deal with it.

The hosts blew their first try-scoring opportunity when Paddy McCarthy’s pass from a tapped penalty was knocked on in contact by captain Gus McCarthy. A costly close-in penalty also relieved the pressure on France.

The deadlock was broken by Prendergast’s 10th-minute penalty, which was quickly followed by tighthead McCarthy muscularly burrowing over the line. The maul did the initial damage before the Dublin University powerhouse struck from a ruck.

With Prendergast’s conversion taking Ireland into double figures, the French turned to their pack to respond. A strong set of phases punished Irish indiscipline when Auradou drove in under the posts for Tom Raffy to convert.

Paddy McCarthy and Gleeson hit back by turning over Oscar Jegou in a choke tackle, and following a clever lineout move involving Gus McCarthy and Mangan, a well-struck Prendergast penalty make it 13-7.

Ireland’s scrum suddenly cranked up the power, gaining a penalty and then winning a French feed against the head. France prop Affane saw yellow for collapsing a maul that looked destined to get over the whitewash.

Nonetheless, the try came from a subsequent TMO review, English official David Rose highlighting winger Gavin’s grounding from a short burst. Prendergast added the extras to put 13 points between the sides.

Despite Paddy McCarthy forcing turnover ball from Léo Carbonneau, 14-man France impressed before the break. A well-worked maul saw Liufau power over after a defensive gap had opened up, with Raffy converting.

A series of penalties in quick succession landed France flanker Nouchi in the bin for playing the ball on the ground near his own line. Crucially, Sébastien Calvet’s charges stood firm and Prendergast had to cover a daring late breakout.

Try scorer McCarthy won the battle at the breakdown early on the restart, setting up Prendergast for a fine long-range strike. Mangan then stole a lineout and Raffy hit the post with a penalty attempt.

The chasing Émilien Gailleton gobbled up the loose ball from Raffy’s missed kick, but Ireland swallowed him up to force a goal-line drop out. Still, France were now on the front foot and building ominously.

Their increasingly-influential maul was the launchpad, replacement hooker Thomas Lacombre an influential ball carrier as the French laid siege to the Irish line. Marko Gazzotti was stopped just short but Hadden saw yellow for repeated infringements.

Ireland’s determined defence forced a knock-on, Prendergast’s boot lifting the pressure further following a high tackle from Affane. The tit-for-tat play continued, Gleeson breaking menacingly from a maul before France fired back with a scrum penalty.

France’s improved play was rewarded with a third try, nice hands out to the left putting winger Attissogbe over in the corner. It was a double blow for Ireland as Mangan was binned for a high tackle on Gazzotti. Reus’ missed conversion left it at 23-19.

The visitors edged ahead just minutes later, an excellent lineout drive drawing them up close before Nouchi reached over on the short side for the bonus point try. However, replacement Reus hit the woodwork with the conversion.

Hugh Cooney lifted Ireland with a bustling carry, a skewed clearance from Carbonneau offering the Irish pack vital field position. A kick at the posts was turned down and after a slew of carries, number 8 Gleeson squeezed over.

Back came France, using a James McNabney knock-on to heap the pressure back on deep inside the Irish 22. They worked numbers on the right for Benmegal to touch down.

Reus stepped up and confidently nailed the conversion, nudging his team back in front at 31-30. Prendergast’s radar was off when he missed a subsequent penalty from a few metres inside halfway.

Importantly, Ireland kept their work-rate high and their endeavour was rewarded with a further chance with three minutes remaining. From just outside the French 22, PwC player-of-the-match Prendergast split the posts with a drilled kick.

There was yet more drama, replacement Evan O’Connell collecting the restart and drawing a penalty only for the French to then launch forward off a penalty a few metres inside their own half.

Lacombre’s lineout throw went out the back, though, allowing Ireland to swallow it up and bring this breathless game to a close with the scoreboard narrowly in their favour.

TIME LINE: 10 minutes – Ireland penalty: Sam Prendergast – 3-0; 12 mins – Ireland try: Paddy McCarthy – 8-0; conversion: Sam Prendergast – 10-0; 18 mins – France try: Hugo Auradou – 10-5; conversion: Tom Raffy – 10-7; 24 mins – Ireland penalty: Sam Prendergast – 13-7; 29 mins – France yellow card: Zaccharie Affane; 30 mins – Ireland try: Hugh Gavin – 18-7; conversion: Sam Prendergast – 20-7; 34 mins – France try: Brent Liufau – 20-12; conversion: Tom Raffy – 20-14; 38 mins – France yellow card: Lenni Nouchi; Half-time – Ireland 20 France 14; 43 mins – Ireland penalty: Sam Prendergast – 23-14; 47 mins – France penalty: missed by Tom Raffy – 23-14; 52 mins – Ireland yellow card: George Hadden; 58 mins – France try: Théo Attissogbe – 23-19; conversion: missed by Hugo Reus; 59 mins – Ireland yellow card: Diarmuid Mangan; 61 mins – France try: Lenni Nouchi – 23-24; conversion: missed by Hugo Reus – 23-24; 69 mins – Ireland try: Brian Gleeson – 28-24; conversion: Sam Prendergast – 30-24; 72 mins – France try: Enzo Benmegal – 30-29; conversion: Hugo Reus – 30-31; 75 mins – Ireland penalty: missed by Sam Prendergast – 30-31; 77 mins – Ireland penalty: Sam Prendergast – 33-31; Full-time – Ireland 33 France 31

IRELAND U-20: Henry McErlean (Terenure College RFC/Leinster); James Nicholson (UCD RFC/Leinster), Hugh Cooney (Clontarf FC/Leinster), John Devine (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht), Hugh Gavin (Galwegians RFC/Connacht); Sam Prendergast (Lansdowne FC/Leinster), Fintan Gunne (Terenure College RFC/Leinster); George Hadden (Clontarf FC/Leinster), Gus McCarthy (UCD RFC/Leinster) (capt), Paddy McCarthy (Dublin University FC/Leinster), Diarmuid Mangan (UCD RFC/Leinster), Conor O’Tighearnaigh (UCD RFC/Leinster), James McNabney (Ballymena RFC/Ulster), Ruadhán Quinn (Old Crescent RFC/Munster), Brian Gleeson (Garryowen FC/Munster).

Replacements used: Danny Sheahan (UCC RFC/Munster) for G McCarthy (47-55 mins), George Morris (Lansdowne FC/Leinster) for Quinn (56-63), Evan O’Connell (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for O’Tighearnaigh (56), Fiachna Barrett (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht) for P McCarthy (70). Not used: Jacob Sheahan (UCC RFC/Munster), Oscar Cawley (Naas RFC/Leinster), Harry West (Buccaneers RFC/Connacht), Rory Telfer (Queen’s University Belfast RFC/Ulster).

FRANCE U-20: Louis Bielle-Biarrey (Union Bordeaux-Bègles); Théo Attissogbe (Section Paloise), Nicolas Depoortere (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Émilien Gailleton (Section Paloise), Enzo Benmegal (Racing 92); Tom Raffy (CA Brive), Léo Carbonneau (CA Brive); Louis Penverne (Stade Rochelais), Barnabé Massa (FC Grenoble Rugby), Zaccharie Affane (Union Bordeaux-Bègles), Hugo Auradou (Section Paloise), Brent Liufau (Section Paloise), Oscar Jegou (Stade Rochelais), Lenni Nouchi (Montpellier HR), Marko Gazzotti (FC Grenoble Rugby).

Replacements used: Thomas Lacombre (Stade Toulousain) for Massa (half-time), Hugo Reus (Stade Rochelais) for Raffy (50 mins), Mathis Ferté (CA Brive) for Bielle-Biarrey (60), Bastien Chinarro (USA Perpignan) for Auradou (65), Maïno Pakihivatau (SU Agen) for Affane, Luca Tabarot (Montpellier HR) for Penverne (both 71), Mathis Castro Ferreira (Stade Toulousain) for Jegou (74). Not used: Arthur Mathiron (Lyon OU).

Referee: Angus Mabey (New Zealand)