Andrew Goodman believes Sam Prendergast's experience with the senior team in South Africa will benefit Emerging Ireland on their tour of the country.
Leinster out-half Prendergast travelled with Andy Farrell's squad for two Tests in July but didn't see any game time, with Jack Crowley and Ciarán Frawley the preferred options for the series that ended in a draw.
Still uncapped, the 21-year-old Kildare man appears to have usurped team-mates Ross and Harry Byrne in the international pecking order and Goodman, who switched from the Leinster coaching staff to Ireland before the tour, believes he will kick on.
Emerging Ireland have three games in seven days in Bloemfontein starting against the Pumas on Wednesday, 2 October, before taking on Western Force and the Cheetahs.
"To come away to South Africa was a great experience for him," said Goodman of Prendergast, who started on his 19th Leinster appearance as they beat Edinburgh in their BKT URC opener last weekend.
"He wasn't there to make up the numbers, he was pushing hard every training.
"It was great for him to build another level of understanding around how the Irish team plays the game and also for him to get confident as the 10, calling the shots.
"We expect him to come in after that experience and lead this team around.
"I thought he had a good start on Friday night in terms of some of the ways he drove the Leinster team around, he'll be looking to kick on on this tour and put his name forward for future Leinster fixtures."
Prendergast had a stellar underage career with Ireland, helping the Under-20s to the Grand Slam in 2023 and reaching the final of the World Championship.
Emerging Ireland captain Alex Kendellen said he has been impressed with his rise up the ranks.
"I just met him there for the first time," the Munster back row said on Wednesday morning as the squad assembled in Blanchardstown.
"I've seen what he's done on the pitch for Leinster and he's an incredible player, even for the 20s.
"He looks like he's got it all and I'm looking forward to playing in behind him."
Meanwhile, Goodman, who spent two seasons with Leinster prior to joining the Ireland set-up as backs coach, also spoke about the adjustments to his job and his first taste of international action in South Africa.
"It was a great experience and I suppose the energy they all came in with, the way they connected and the level of expectation around the way they do things, that accountability was huge," said the 41-year-old New Zealander.
"So it was great to see. You could obviously see from the outside that it was a well-connected group and it was just great to see first hand, that energy and connection that they drove.
"It's a very different workflow for myself, that's been the biggest thing.
"I'm looking forward to getting the whistle back [for training this week] and getting amongst the boys, even being in an office with other people full time, being able to talk footy - I think the wife is happy to have me out of the house as well.
"It's different from the day to day at Leinster where you're down in the office.
"I suppose there's been a little bit of work from home, which is great as well for the kids, but in terms of coaching, I think I'll probably lose my voice by the end of the day because I haven't done it for a period of time.
"In terms of South Africa, it was a great little introduction for myself to go away and see how the Irish set-up works, the language they use and how the week is run.
"It was a great thing for me to do to get a step ahead coming into the Emerging Ireland tour now and with November later on, so I guess there are differences in the way weeks are run but nothing major."
On his new remit, he said: "I'll be doing a lot of work with the backs on strikes from scrum and lineout and on skill work for the team.
"Assisting Andy, obviously, when it comes to November time. He's not coming on this trip, so get to do a little bit more of the team attack as well.
"But, I'll be assisting him with those bits of the attack when it comes to November and beyond."
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