France v Ireland

[fourthirtythree]

[Don't give a shite about the kicking long term, if he's not good enough- get someone else to kick. But Johnny needs to play 10 for Ireland.


Clearly sexton is your best 10 and should play there , so who else that is either in the team or on the fringes of the team would be a reliable goal kicker?

McFadden and Madigan have both recently got the Pro 12 golden boot. McFadden no longer kicks though. Conor Murray place kicks, I'm pretty sure I've seen him do it for Munster and land them, he certainly did when he was coming through.

For me the whole thing about choke kicking is missing the point (which was part of why I stress that O'Gara's stats in '09 were the same - normally he had been in the 80-83% range which is around where Sexton normally is also) Sexton's kicking from hand (which never would have been his strongest point) was also awful, his line kicking and his restarts (which were a weapon when he played for Leinster - particularly to Horgan or Nacewa) were generally not good. He's not choking, he's kicking badly all round. If he's injured he sure seems to be playing pretty well otherwise. Perhaps he's changing his entire kick as his coach did towards the end of his career but I can't say I've noticed particularly...

[paddyor]

Clearly sexton is your best 10 and should play there , so who else that is either in the team or on the fringes of the team would be a reliable goal kicker?

McFadden in 11/12 had the highest success rate in the Pro12(39/40 at one point I think) up until a semi against Glasgow IIRC where he kicked 1 from 7. It was bad weather but he just didn't seem to have his kicking boots on that day. He's kicked the odd peno or conversion since but never been regularly used to say that he's consistent.

[Logorrhea]

If Johnny plays he kicks.

[tigerburnie]

Been away on holiday, so late in posting my congratulations on winning the Champions title.

[All Blacks nil]

Clearly sexton is your best 10 and should play there , so who else that is either in the team or on the fringes of the team would be a reliable goal kicker?

McFadden in 11/12 had the highest success rate in the Pro12(39/40 at one point I think) up until a semi against Glasgow IIRC where he kicked 1 from 7. It was bad weather but he just didn't seem to have his kicking boots on that day. He's kicked the odd peno or conversion since but never been regularly used to say that he's consistent.

Johnny is our best outhalf, probably our best place kicking international class player.
He is most probably carrying a long term niggly injury, hence Ireland's refusal to attempt shots of goal from outside 40 metres.
All of his problems seem to be from the right. (3/8 in 6N 15/16 all other kicks). At this stage technical issues are being hampered by mental issues. When he stands up to a right sided kick the posts must seem so narrow.
On Saturday he pushed the first one wide right and pulled the second one wide left. Technique obviously not consistent, unfortunately his mental positivity is more and more undermined with each unsuccessful kick. The fact they refused to kick from longer range made most attempts high pressure I.e always considered kickable. Nothing boosts the confidence of a place kicker more than to kick a screamer from 50 metres, something to consider
He will be interesting to watch in France over the next few weeks. It will be interesting to see what range he actually kicks from, to see was it an injury influenced or a Schmidt tactical decision not to attempt long range penalties.