Lies, damned lies and the Irish outhalf debate, by @curates_egg
One of the most frustrating aspects of the debate surrounding who should be the reserve outhalf in Ireland (behind Johnny Sexton) is the flow of lies, damned lies and straw men trundled out by media commentators and others with agendas to peddle. As is the essential purpose of a straw man, these seriously divert attention from the core of the debate.
To be fair, the majority of rugby fans seem to be able to see through these (judging by the comments on online fora) but given the Irish outhalf debate is set to rumble on and hence, the flow of straw men, it seems worthwhile to pick them apart.
Class is permanent
A trite sporting cliché in itself, its use in the Irish outhalf debate reached fever pitch in the run-up to the Scotland match. Particularly guilty in this regard was a plethora of journalists and analysts as part of a misguided campaign to try and convince the Irish rugby-supporting public (and influence the Irish management) that Ronan O'Gara should be picked to start.
There can be no doubting that class is permanent. Ronan O'Gara is a world class player who will remain world class long after he has retired, just like Jack Kyle, Ollie Campbell or Tony Ward (yes, Tony Ward of the 'class is permanent' plethora, take a bow). However, just as class is permanent, there is no cure for aging (a cliché that even holds for Cindy Jackson). At some point, even world class players will be passed their prime and will thus be surpassed by less classy players. That is not to suggest that any of the other contenders is less classy by the way.
However, one thing is clear - Ronan O'Gara's international performances since the Italy match in the 2011 World Cup have been patchy at best and on a downward curve. Objective Munster fans also admit his provincial performances have also been sliding. It is a trend and one which must be sad for his biggest fans to accept.
Experienced candidates only
Another nugget of a straw man used by the ROG plethora was that the other options to start against Scotland all lacked sufficient experience at a sufficient level. Clearly nobody told that to Ronan O'Gara himself when he was selected for his first Irish cap – against Scotland – 13 years ago (to the week).
This self-defeating argument is in fact at the heart of current crisis situation in which Ireland finds itself with regards to alternatives to Jonny Sexton. Despite the glaring need to blood a possible back-up to Sexton – in the highly unlikely event that he, as a rugby player, might get injured – each potential opportunity has been passed up. Usually, with the argument that the game was 'too important' or 'must-win' and we needed an 'experienced' back-up.
Firstly, when does that logic end? When ROG can literally no longer physically play rugby? Secondly, what is a must-win game? The Scotland game was really must-win for Declan Kidney and his management team alone. For Ireland, having already lost the Grand Slam and Triple Crown, it was a great opportunity to play an alternative outhalf who will be around at the next World Cup (unlike ROG). Finally, it ignores the almost constantly declining curve of ROG's performances at international level over the past 2 years.
Plenty of the plethora still argue that ROG was the 'only option' for the bench in the November internationals this year. However, his cameo against a weakened Argentina was clearly not of international standard, whilst Paddy Jackson had delivered a tour de force against a weakened Fiji XV the weekend previously. Enough already…to fight a cliché with a cliché: if you're good enough, you're old enough.
Outhalf must place-kick
This argument has been used both by the ROG plethora and those who support other candidates, as justification for why Paddy Jackson couldn't play for Ireland. Ruan Pienaar is the frontline/big-game kicker for Ulster, therefore Paddy Jackson cannot start for Ireland. Come again? Did I miss the section of the IRB rules that stipulate an outhalf is the only player who can place kick?
Clearly France have missed that rule as well over the past decade when (more often than not) the place kicker has not been their outhalf. Ask Francois Trinh-Duc. Of the other 6 Nations, Wales currently (with full back Leigh Halfpenny) and recently Scotland (with Chris Patterson) and Italy (with Mirco Bergamasco) have also chosen to entrust players other than their outhalves with place-kicking duties. England and, even, Ireland also have history here, as Michael Kiernan fans can testify.
Aha – the proponents of the argument will counter – but Ireland has no alternative to a kicking outhalf. Sorry Fergus McFadden, your 32 successful kicks in the Rabo Pro12 last year don't seem to count (nor your very high kicking average - although I'm not sure its 100%!).
If you are worried about Paddy Jackson's place-kicking, Fergus McFadden is not a bad option to have on the bench or even starting (in the absence of our first choice wingers - Zebo and Bowe - a case can be made for all contenders). You can slot him in on the wing (where he has always delivered for Ireland), entrust him with place-kicking duties and allow Jackson to get on with his game.
This cunning ploy worked very well for Leinster and Ian Madigan last year. With both Isa Nacewa and Fergus McFadden ahead of him in the place-kicking order, Madigan was able to focus on playing his own game, without the pressures of place-kicking. Madigan was seamlessly eased into the Leinster set-up (starting 15 games at outhalf in the Pro12 and 1 in the Heineken Cup) and has this season has taken on the responsibility for place-kicks, now he is settled in the side. Surely, this would be the perfect strategy to use while blooding Jackson (or another rookie) at outhalf.
Heineken Cup starter/first choice 10
The stick typically used to beat Ian Madigan's candidacy with – usually by Paddy Jackson proponents – is that he is not Leinster's first choice 10 or Heineken Cup starting 10, whereas Jackson is for Ulster. There are two points to be made in response to this straw man.
Firstly, Madigan has started a lot of games at outhalf for Leinster over the past 2 seasons. Madigan started as outhalf 16 times for Leinster last season (15 times in the Pro12 and once in the Heineken Cup – vs Montpellier), compared with 15 starts for Sexton (6 in the Pro12 and 8 in the Heineken Cup) – Madigan also came on as a substitute in 4 Heineken Cup games last season (including the final). Jackson started for Ulster twice last season (one of which was his poor day at the office in the Heineken Cup final, when Madigan came on as a sub), coming on as a substitute 3 times. This season, Johnny Sexton has started 12 times for Leinster at outhalf (6 and 6), with Madigan starting 11 times at outhalf and 5 times at full back (once in the Pro12).
Secondly, he is back-up to the best outhalf in the Northern Hemisphere at Leinster, whereas Jackson's competition at 10 in Ulster is Niall O'Connor. This is a point that is routinely ignored by the Jackson proponents.
The fact that Madigan has started for Leinster 4 times this season in the Heineken Cup at full back (and once in the Pro12) is somehow used to discredit Madigan's candidacy. The contrary should be considered: the fact that an outhalf (who happens to have been the reserve outhalf behind the best outhalf in the Northern Hemisphere) is good enough to play in another position, should be seen as a positive for a modern rugby team player!
In short, it is hard to argue that there is anything more than provincial circumstance determining the relative starts of Jackson and Madigan at 10.
Finally, so what? Conor Murray - most recently - started for Ireland without ever having played a minute in the Heineken Cup and became first choice for Ireland in the 2011 World Cup fresh from his first season in the Pro12. Why one rule for one player and another for another?
Leinster signing an outhalf for next season
Another straw man used to discredit Madigan's candidacy is the fact that Leinster has made clear it is looking to recruit an outhalf, following Johnny Sexton's departure. Madigan's knockers will have you believe this is a sign that the Leinster management has no faith in Madigan to take over from Johnny Sexton.
This argument would hold water if Leinster intended to or makes a big name signing of an outhalf in his playing prime. However, it is far from clear this is the case. Cast your mind back to 2009, when Sexton broke through to the Leinster side (guiding the team to its first Heineken Cup) and Felipe Contepomi left at the end of the season. Leinster announced they would be recruiting an outhalf and, sure enough, one was recruited.
Rather than being a vote-of-no-confidence in Sexton however, the recruitment (of Shaun Berne) was very much intended to support Sexton to become a key player at the club. Shaun Berne was never going to be a key player for Leinster but proved to be an invaluable squad player for the year, who filled in admirably when Sexton got injured.
Until we find out otherwise, there is no reason to assume that Leinster will not approach the Sexton succession in a similar way: recruiting an old-hand to support Madigan in taking on the mantle. Ian Madigan is around the same age Johnny Sexton was when he finally made the breakthrough to become Leinster's starting outhalf. Arguably (given the amount of starts outlined above), he is further along the road in his career development (a career that seems to have been meticulously managed). His time for Leinster is now.
Long story longer, there are many straw men floating about in the great Ireland outhalf debate. The purpose of this blog was not to argue for one player over another but more simply to deconstruct some of the flawed arguments used to discredit one candidate or another. If you have to spend all your time deconstructing straw men, you can't have an honest and meaningful debate about who really should be the substitute outhalf behind Johnny Sexton looking ahead to the next World Cup.
@curates_egg : Expat Irish rugby fan living on the continent but regularly travelling to Leinster and Ireland rugby matches. Strong believer in rugby as a family game and a fair sport.
