Mike Prendergast (rugby union)

Mike Prendergast (born 21 May 1977) is an Irish rugby union coach who started his professional playing career with Munster. He also played a season with both Bourgoin in France and Gloucester in England before returning for one final season with Munster.[1] He played as a scrum-half and represented Young Munster in the All-Ireland League.

Mike Prendergast
Date of birth (1977-05-21) 21 May 1977 (age 47)
Place of birthLimerick, Ireland
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight84 kg (13.2 st; 185 lb)
Rugby union career
Position(s) Scrum-half
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Young Munster ()
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2001–2006 Munster 39 (15)
2006–2007 Bourgoin 21 (5)
2007–2008 Gloucester 10 (0)
2008–2009 Munster 9 (0)
2013–2014 Chambéry 6 ()
Coaching career
Years Team
2009–2013 Young Munster (Director of rugby)
2013–2017 Grenoble (Skills coach)
2017–2018 Oyonnax (Backs coach)
2018–2019 Stade Français (Backs coach)
2019–2022 Racing 92 (Backs coach)
2022– Munster (Attack coach)

Having previously been director of rugby for amateur Irish club Young Munster, Prendergast joined French club Grenoble as a skills coach in 2013, where former Leinster and Ireland hooker Bernard Jackman was then defence coach.[2] Ahead of the 2017–18 Top 14 season, Prendergast joined Oyonnax as their attack coach,[3] before joining Stade Français, where former Munster teammate Paul O'Connell was also a coach, as their backs and attack coach for the 2018–19 season, after Oyonnax were relegated from the Top 14.[4]

After one season with Stade Français, Prendergast departed the club to join their Parisian rivals, Racing 92, where former Munster teammate Ronan O'Gara once coached and also where former Munster players Donnacha Ryan and Simon Zebo were playing at the time, as their backs coach on a long-term contract ahead of the 2019–20 season.[5] Prendergast returned to Munster on a three-year contract from the 2022–23 season to join new head coach Graham Rowntree's coaching setup as an attack coach.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "Prendy Returns". Munster Rugby. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Prendergast swaps Munsters for Grenoble". Limerick Leader. 10 April 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  3. ^ "Irishman Prendergast appointed attack coach at French club Oyonnax". The42. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Irish coach Mike Prendergast set to join reinvigorated Stade Français". The42. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Prendergast's coaching stock rises as ex-Munster scrum-half joins Racing 92". The42. 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  6. ^ "'A family choice' - Mike Prendergast joins Rowntree at Munster". The42. 4 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
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