It is not in Leo Cullen’s nature to high five and bearhug the room.
Even harbouring a smattering of pride that the Leinster players in the Irish squad went well against Scotland, particularly Sam Prendergast, his all-encompassing views remain beneath the swirl of media buzz.
Patience, as much as pushing players, has been part of the success that has eased 21-year-old Prendergast into the number 10 jersey with Ireland.
His performance against Scotland has probably dampened down the debate for now about himself and Jack Crowley, although with Wales next up in a couple of weeks, you expect coach Simon Easterby might have a change or two in mind for the Principality Stadium.
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“He’s a curious player, he’s curious about the game,” says Cullen of Prendergast. “He spends a lot of time here looking at video. He likes talking to coaches. He has a natural curiosity about the game which is what you want in top end players.
“It’s great to see. He’s getting over a lot of firsts at this stage, first Six Nations, first Six Nations away game. He’s managed to steer the team around to two wins which is great.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a grand plan. You just want to set young players up well. It’s hard to skip the levels. Sometimes people think you can just crack on. Sometimes you just have to be patient as well. He is still incredibly young.”
Cullen understands the vagaries of the game. As a player and a coach he has seen fortunes swing wildly. Ciaran Frawley, a name that was on people’s lips not so long ago, has receded with Crowley now Prendergast’s rival in chief and Frawley now looking for a way back in.
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It has always been thus and in Cullen’s non-committal way explains how one mishap can be compounded by another and then a window that might have been more open becomes more closed.
The wheel keeps turning. Only some lucky players can stay in place without falling off. Once that happens, they have another fight on their hands.
“So, in terms of Ciaran, the New Zealand game doesn’t go well off the bench, then he gets injured moving to 15,” says Cullen. “Then he picks up an injury with us and he’s out of action for a while. But that happens. And you have to wait for the next opportunity and if that comes this Friday [against Ospreys], you have to make sure he is ready for it.
“Because he is a quality player and you want that level of competition. When you lose out, it feels like you’re miles away when it actually really is neck and neck. Sometimes the other guys kick on. And things may not work out and that’s the fickle nature of the business.”
Caspar Gabriel is another outhalf name that has been rising from the Leinster academy, while Charlie Tector often played at outhalf when he was an underage player. Like Frawley did, Tector moved more into the midfield and recently partnered All Black Jordie Barrett there over the Christmas period.
“Caspar, he’s developing well. What is he, he’s just about six months out of school, so it’s still early days and people need to be patient,” says Cullen.
“Charlie Tector has obviously played a lot for us in the midfield now, but he would still go back and play a lot for Lansdowne. That second ball player is really good for us, we find.
“Coming back to Sam, he’s come through and that’s why the pathway is good. He had two years of [Under]20s. One where he’s on the bench for most of the games. I’d have to look back exactly, but I’m pretty sure it was Charlie that played all the games as a 10.”
For now, Prendergast dominates the rugby conversations, and they can be divisive. Young, languid and insouciant to Crowley’s athletic bravery and canny ball play, both hugely effective. He will be 22-years-old tomorrow with a man of the match award in his second Six Nations match. For all Cullen’s talk about patience, it has not been part of Prendergast’s rise.
