Prendergast Voted Player Of The Round
Sam Prendergast is pictured kicking at goal during the second round match between Ireland and Scotland at Scottish Gas Murrayfield ©INPHO/Billy Stickland
Sam Prendergast saw off stiff competition, including from his half-back partner Jamison Gibson-Park, to be named the Player of the Round following the second weekend of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations.
The young out-half, who turned 22 yesterday, claimed 44% of the fan vote following his controlled performance in the 32-18 bonus point win over Scotland in Edinburgh.
It was Prendergast’s first away Test match and he delivered a player-of-the-match display across 80 minutes, kicking 12 points, being involved in the build-up to two tries – the highlight being his 24.4 metre pass for Calvin Nash’s opener – and orchestrating play, alongside Gibson-Park, to keep Ireland in the right areas of the pitch.
He topped the Player of the Round vote ahead of Italy number 8 Lorenzo Cannone (33%), England number 10 Finn Smith (15%), and his provincial and international team-mate Gibson Park (8%), who gained his second Player of the Round nomination of the campaign.
A Six Nations debutant against England in round 1, Prendergast is the tournament’s joint-fourth top points scorer so far with 15 points. He has accumulated 546.9 kicking metres from 20 kicks, and has one linebreak and four tackle breaks to his name.
The international newcomer is only getting started, and was quick to point out he had some lessons to take from the victory at Scottish Gas Murrayfield as he looks to improve further in the fixtures to come.
“As a team, and personally, we took a lot of learnings out of (England). I didn’t play as well as I would have liked in that first game,” said the five-times capped half-back.
“It was good to be able to put some of those learnings into place. But I had a few learnings out there (against Scotland) that I also want to put right.
“There were a little bit less nerves because last week was the unknown. I’d never experienced (a big Six Nations game) before, so I didn’t know what it was going to be like.
“It did give a bit more insight into what this week was going to be like. It was a bit easier, for that. The rest week is going to be a good opportunity for us to learn and get better, and bring that into the game against Wales.”
2025 GUINNESS MEN’S SIX NATIONS – PLAYER OF THE ROUND WINNERS:
ROUND 1: Grégory Alldritt (France)
ROUND 2: Sam Prendergast (Ireland)