Outstanding Emerging Ireland expedition will pay dividends down the line
We already knew Sam Prendergast and Cormac Izuchukwu were rising forces in the game. This was Prendergast’s third start on tour and the hope/expectation is the young Leinster out-half will have a similar rise to Jack Crowley, who starred on the 2022 tour.
Izuchukwu had the evening off yesterday after an excellent tour and don’t be surprised if the Ulster forward and Prendergast make their Test bows in next month’s November series. That Fiji game on the third weekend of November looks likely.
Those two were always flagged up as most likely to succeed but this tour was all about unearthing a few more young prospects.
Like Harry Sheridan and Alex Usanov – two big success stories. Sheridan has been making a name for himself up at Ulster in recent seasons and you’d imagine that Andy Farrell likes what he sees. There is no lack of top-class backrowers around the provinces, but there’s something unique about Sheridan. He has a bit of dog in him and loves getting stuck in.
He has the makings of another Joe McCarthy. Sheridan put himself about against a big, mean Cheetahs last night.
Usanov has been a real find. The Clontarf prop was only a late call-up to the squad after Connacht frontrower Jordan Duggan was ruled out through injury.
Usanov only turned 19 in July but the Leinster rookie has thrived in South Africa. He certainly impressed Easterby who drew comparisons with Cian Healy earlier this week.
‘Yeah, Alex is like a mini “Church”,’ the Ireland head coach noted. ‘He is incredibly strong, incredibly powerful, a lot of rough edges to his game, which there would be, but credit to him.’
If Usanov is already mixing it with hardy South Africans, just think how good he’s going to be a in a few years’ time. Leinster aren’t lacking young looseheads with Michael Milne, Jack Boyle and Paddy McCarthy all coming through the system.
Usanov has the ability to move ahead of all of them in the Leinster pecking order in the not-too-distant future.
Jack Aungier has been another player to catch the eye. The tighthead moved to Connacht from Leinster a few seasons back and has been quietly delivering excellent shifts for the Westerners.
Aungier’s form has been so strong that he’s been putting plenty of pressure on Finlay Bealham for a starting spot. He impressed again last night and he will return home with his stock higher – the same goes for Ben O’Connor, Hugh Gavin, Zac Ward and the impressive James Culhane.
This young group had to weather an early storm, conceding three first-half tries to a Cheetahs side who were eyeing a big scalp. This was undoubtedly the biggest test of the trip after wins against the Pumas and Western Force.
It was a real clash of styles. While Ireland – very much in the shape of Farrell’s senior side – were all about clever running lines, organisation and tempo, their South African opponents were old school in their approach, hard and direct.
All three of their opening tries came from powerful, direct running from their big pack as prop Robert Hunt, full-back Michael Annies and hooker Corne Fourie all crossed the line.
Emerging Ireland replied with scores from Evan O’Connell, a nephew of former Ireland captain Paul, and Andrew Osborne, young brother of current Ireland international, Jamie.
When replacement flanker Alex Soroka raced onto Prendergast’s offload, Ireland wrestled back the lead approaching the hour mark before Michael Annies scythed through the Irish defence for the home side’s fourth try of the night.
Scrum-half Matthew Devine, one of the second-half cavalry unleashed from the bench, was soon racing through a yawning gap as the home challenge began to wilt. When replacement hooker Danny Sheahan was shunted over the line by his fellow forwards, it was game over.
A hard-fought win and an unbeaten tour secured, but the real rewards will be reaped further down the line.
CHEETAHS 24 EMERGING IRELAND 33 (Bloemfontein) CHEETAHS: M Annies, P Nkabinde, M Hartzenberg, CJ Coetzee, A Kunene; E Wentzel, R Kruger; S Ferreira, C Fourie, R Hunt; C Wegner (MJ van Rensburg 45), V Sekekete (capt); G van der Merwe, S Vumazonke, F Olivier. SCORERS – Tries: Hunt, Annies (2), Fourie. Cons: Wentzel (2).
EMERGING IRELAND: B O’Connor; A Osborne, H Cooney, H Gavin, Z Ward (C Tector 60); S Prendergast (J Murphy 70), C Foley (M Devine 52); A Usanov (G Hadden 57), S Smyth (D Sheahan), J Aungier (S Wilson 57); E O’Connell (C O’Tighearnaigh 58), D Murray; H Sheridan (A Soroka 52), S Edogbo, J Culhane (capt).
SCORERS – Tries: O’Connell, Osborne, Soroka, Devine, Sheahan. Cons: Prendergast (2), Murphy (2).