Ireland play down Prendergast injury concerns
Ireland fly-half Sam Prendergast trained in Portugal with strapping on his leg
- Published
Fly-half Sam Prendergast "trained fully" despite a dead leg as Ireland reported a clean bill of health before Saturday's Six Nations opener at home to England.
Prop Tadhg Furlong has already been ruled out of the game, but all 36 players in interim head coach Simon Easterby's squad took part in Tuesday's training at the team's camp in Portugal.
Prendergast had his leg strapped for the session but assistant coach Andrew Goodman said he is "sure" the 21-year-old will be "all right" for the visit of Steve Borthwick's side to Dublin.
The Leinster number 10 made his Test debut from the bench against Fiji in November before starting the games against Fiji and Australia ahead of Jack Crowley.
"It's been a great couple of months for Sam," said Goodman.
"Just the game experience he's managed to gather up both with Ireland, first with Emerging Ireland, then Ireland, then some big Champions Cup games away to La Rochelle, home to Bath, so it's been a great period for him to get real game experience.
"I know he valued the time at Leinster when he was training alongside the senior squad as an academy member, but to get out there and feel it for himself, there's been huge growth in his game."
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Despite losing his Ireland starting berth by the end of the autumn, Crowley found form in Munster's Champions Cup contests against Saracens and Northampton this month, while Prendergast's Leinster team-mate Ciaran Frawley is another option for the role held so long by the now retired Johnny Sexton.
"The three of them are all great lads, first and foremost, and they all work well together," added Goodman.
"As I said, they're competing hard on the field but the pleasing thing is you go back to the hotel and they're sitting around the computers together going through clips and they're driving the team well.
"It's great to see and I'm sure they'll all have great Test careers ahead."
Ireland name their team to face England on Thursday, while the visitors confirmed their selection on Tuesday.