To Forget Marseilles: The Critical Importance of Kicking

[RedsHappy]

Remember October 2007, that penalty kick at the death? Oh, the horror returns for me every time I think back to that day. And on Sunday just gone, whilst we (Reds fans) all love QC (Quade Cooper), another off-day with the boot, it nearly cost us the game.

Bruce Ross' analysis of RWC results months back showed the huge importance of high % success rates in place kicking (and, I would surmise, field goals too, no need to mention November 2003!). And, sorry Gits' fans to mention it once more, but how many Tests did his errant place kicking cost us 2009-10? We certainly don't seem to have produced our own Carter, Steyn or Grant (yet), and even more so these players have been superb in both high pressure games and low. Yet we did have the 2010 joys of Hong Kong and Blom, place kicks were the game nailers, which just makes the point all over again.

So I started thinking: how are our likely Test/RWC kickers travelling today, who's currently on track for excellence in this potentially fate-determining area of play?

Apologies in advance, I haven't had time to do the S15 to date kicking success % stats, but my sense is that: QC (Quade Cooper) and KB (Kurtley Beale) are not at all producing great consistencies, JO'C is performing his kicks quite well (but not yet in the class of the kicking greats above), and Gits, ironically, may have performed in % terms the best of all (but will this translate to Aus games under real pressure, and will Gits be selected as regular run on?).

Your thoughts, stats (if you feel up to it), and recommendations to RD re the Wallabies kicking department - 2011 version.

 

[Victorian Reds Fan]

I'd have JOC (James O'Connor) kicking for us. Not sure about the stats, but he seems the most natural and so the most likely to hold up under pressure.

 

[Godfrey]

In form Gits or J'OC. I know the keys have been taken of Gits (permanently?) so probably J'OC for mine. Cooper is a great kicker on his day but confidence kickers just aren't what I want in a test match side.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

JOC (James O'Connor) would be my first choice kicker on form. He's kept the Force in matches several times with his place kicking and he's pretty much a guaranteed starter. I'm not convinced about QC (Quade Cooper)'s goal kicking under pressure and it will be crucial in the knockout stages.

 

[Maroon Army]

JOC (James O'Connor) > Quade.

As much as I rate Quade as a player, he has given Reds fans far too many heart in mouth moments this season for him to be considered as an option at Test level.

 

[farva]

JOC (James O'Connor) can take the closer ones, Kurtley the long range.

Giteau needs to prove he is over the yips and I dont think Cooper is a consistent enough kicker to be relied upon at the knock out stages.

 

[Ruggo]

What has Matt Burke done to Beale and Barnes's kicking? I only ask as I have never assisted in helping good goal kickers become poor goal kickers so I could not presume to understand what that is like.

JOC (James O'Connor) has to be the goal kicker for mine. Fire Braam Stratin and employ JOC (James O'Connor)'s regular kicking coach as a consultant.

 

[Riptide]

I'm not completely sold on any of them to be honest but JOC (James O'Connor) is probably the best of the bunch with Beale being the big gunner. I domnt see Aus as being too disadvantaged to be honest.

Morne Steyn is probably the only kicker in Test rugby playing for one of the big 5 test teams that is nearly automatic, and he is such a weapon for the Boks. Flood is improving but can have off days, France rely on Parra but Yashvili is a better pressure kicker. Carter can have his off days too but doesn't seem to succumb to pressure. He can just be streaky.

 

[rugbysmartarse]

Agree 100% Ruggo - my missus has actually called for Burke's head on a number of occasions due to this exact issue - he's employed as a kicking coach, and his players' kicking has gone to shit.

also, on Van straaten, I do know he has hooked up with JOC (James O'Connor) a few times this year to go over technique etc - not sure whether this has been any help or not though

 

[RugbyReg]

Your thoughts, stats (if you feel up to it), and recommendations to RD re the Wallabies kicking department - 2011 version.

These are stats I have, albeit a couple of weeks old (will update sometime when I get a chance):

Beale:
- conversions: 16/20 = 80%
- penalties: 22/29 = 76%
- total: 78%

Barnes:
- conversions: 3/8 = 38%
- penalties: 2/4 = 50%
- total: 42%

Giteau:
- conversions: 15/24 = 63%
- penalties: 28/31 = 90%
- total: 78%

JOC (James O'Connor):
- conversions: 7/13 = 54%
- penalties: 37/46 = 80%
- total: 75%

QC (Quade Cooper):
- conversions: 22/33 = 67%
- penalties: 31/42 = 74%
- total: 71%

 

[Jets]

I think that you will find, and I say this with the utmost respect, that unless you have coached someone to be a worse kicker at Super Rugby level you can't really comment on it.

 

[tranquility]

What has Matt Burke done to Beale and Barnes's kicking? I only ask as I have never assisted in helping good goal kickers become poor goal kickers so I could not presume to understand what that is like.

JOC (James O'Connor) has to be the goal kicker for mine. Fire Braam Stratin and employ JOC (James O'Connor)'s regular kicking coach as a consultant.

Mr Halligan I believe.

 

[jay-c]

i think conversions is the best % you can take from that
im shocked at JOC (James O'Connor) thou i assumed he was kicking much better than that
he'd still be my #1 but wow thats knocked my confidence
KB (Kurtley Beale) 2, QC (Quade Cooper) 3, and if these three arnt available robinson, tpn, alexander, sharp, horwill, palu, digby, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), genia, rocky, pocock then if they are injured and we are in real trouble id let gits kick it (assuming it was no more than 5 meters to the left of the upright (thinkin v scotland))

 

[jay-c]

I think that you will find, and I say this with the utmost respect, that unless you have coached someone to be a worse kicker at Super Rugby level you can't really comment on it.

i love how boukes gunna cop this until he retires from any coaching role
i cant wait to give him shit about playing bingo in his 80s

 

[Bowside]

Mr Halligan I believe.

JOC (James O'Connor)'s improvement suddenly makes much more sense.

On Quade, he seems to be much better kicking from the left side than the right side?

 

[Gagger]

Regardless of Gits' %'s I won't be forgetting the misses in front of the posts to win against Scotland, England or the ABs anytime soon

 

[RedsHappy]

Mr Halligan I believe.

Then let's get Halligan on board full-time for the whole 3N/WC period seems like a sound - maybe essential - proposal.

 

[RedsHappy]

These are stats I have, albeit a couple of weeks old (will update sometime when I get a chance):

Beale:
- conversions: 16/20 = 80%
- penalties: 22/29 = 76%
- total: 78%

Barnes:
- conversions: 3/8 = 38%
- penalties: 2/4 = 50%
- total: 42%

Giteau:
- conversions: 15/24 = 63%
- penalties: 28/31 = 90%
- total: 78%

JOC (James O'Connor):
- conversions: 7/13 = 54%
- penalties: 37/46 = 80%
- total: 75%

QC (Quade Cooper):
- conversions: 22/33 = 67%
- penalties: 31/42 = 74%
- total: 71%

Thanks RR. I was surprised that KB (Kurtley Beale) comes out top (when considering convs vs pens balance, Gits' convs % way down over quite a big sample), from rough memory I thought he was missing more. It would be interesting to compare these %s with the S15 results for other top SA and NZ kickers. I can't help but feel that our RWC '11 kick success % will have to be a pretty consistent 80+%.

Btw, am I right in recalling that Flatley was a 100% success rate kicker in the RWC '03 Final?, and it was almost all kicks points, just the one try apiece?

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

JOC (James O'Connor) will kick better for the wallabies. When he plays for the Force he does everything for us (and has a huge work rate), so when he goes to take kicks, his heart rate is probably fairly high, he has probably taken a few knocks, and he has a million other things on his mind (because he is leading the backline).

If he plays on the wing for the wallabies, he will be half as busy, i'm guessing standing on the wing will keep him a little more rested and he will have less to worry about. If he is going to play 14 for the wallabies, he should start specializing in goal-kicking for the world cup.

 

[barbarian]

JOC (James O'Connor) is really stepping up as kicker. Good to see he tweeted this afternoon that it was cold, windy and raining, so he was heading out for goal kicking practice! Great attitude, could come in handy on a windy Auckland evening in late October...