Future Irish Outhalf

Stev_o

Look this is a simple thread and ill make it really really clear. This thread is a discussion about the various Irish OH who are not Irelands first choice. It is not a thread to talk about ROG in any shape or form and please refrain from mentioning him.

So at the moment there are 5 Irish qualified OH, Humphreys, Keatley, Sexton, O'Connor and Hickey (you could say 6 if you want to include Staunton but i doubt many will).

At the moment it would look like Humphreys may be the next Irish OH with a good run of form for Ulster. But he does have faults with his defending. His major rival it would seem to most people would be Keatley who is only in his early 20's and playing okay for Connacht. But many people feel that we don't know enough about him to merit him getting anywhere the Irish senior set up. Sexton has fallen down the stairs it seems after a great year with Leinster last year and now many people feel that he is simply not up to it.

O'Connor was Ulsters first choice OH before Humphreys took over and Hickey who was with London Irish is on loan to Worcester.

So who do you think will be the future Irish OH in the not so distant future?

sock puppet

I don't think Humphreys will be the one. He's older than Sexton and Keatley so it's not like he's going to much better. If Sexton can regain a starting spot with Leinster or another team I'd say he'll become ROG's understudy. I think Keatley will be better though.

Diabhal Beag

You really can't look past Keatley atm

[Jackass]

I would LOVE Keatley to come back to Leinster. Particularly as Contepomi is 90% leaving after this season and Nacewa is not an out half as we have all learned by now, that leaves only Sexton as Out Half in the squad.

I think Keatley is an absolute class player and have no doubt is the future Irish 10.

Keatley still has one or two things to improve on, but I think after a couple of seasons as a starting 10 in Heineken Cup rugby he would be comfortably international class.

toomevara

OP, could you please put in an "Oh christ, I hope ROG lives forever, if the above are the only realistic alternative" option...ta...

soundsham

who are they all?
where do the play?

anonymous_joe

O'Connor and Humphreys are Ulster
Sexton Leinster
Keatley Connacht
Hickey Wasps/Lirish, can't remember which

I'm really not sure.

I've not seen enough of any of them but Sexton to comment. Sexton looks good at times, but he needs some confidence.

chupacabra

I assume sexton will be snapped up by one of the GP sides, so its keatley for me.

gearstick

think keatley is definitely the number one choice for me, he seems a very capable player nd having watched the churchill cup lst year he made an impact every time he came on and out-shone sexton imo. humphries and oconnor look decent players too but keatley looks like he is really coming along

Chucky the tree

we shouldnt of left it this late to still not know how good the other opitions are. If Humphreys isnt brought into the full squad for the next game I'll be very disappointed. With ROG's current form and after the way he played the last time we went to the millenium stadiom to play in a GS decider I'm really not looking forward to it.

Podge_irl

toomevara wrote: »

OP, could you please put in an "Oh christ, I hope ROG lives forever, if the above are the only realistic alternative" option...ta...

I don't think ROG was massively better then any of them when he was their age (except Humphries, but then his brother was a latecomer to the international scene too). He did play more then the likes of Sexton though and in more high pressure games - that's the kind of experience that these players need but aren't really getting.

themont85

Chucky the tree wrote: »

we shouldnt of left it this late to still not know how good the other opitions are. If Humphreys isnt brought into the full squad for the next game I'll be very disappointed. With ROG's current form and after the way he played the last time we went to the millenium stadiom to play in a GS decider I'm really not looking forward to it.

Humphreys wasn't even starting for Ireland A, Sexton was. I highly doubt we'll be seeing Humphs Junior in the next squad.

kev_s88

don forget about yer man McKinley on the u-20's...the guy who was booting penalties from halfway against the English on friday night

themont85

kev_s88 wrote: »

don forget about yer man McKinley on the u-20's...the guy who was booting penalties from halfway against the English on friday night

Ye he is a future international out half. Been played at 13 tho Madigan slotted a huge drop goal too. McKinley should be 10 though with Foley or Gahan at centre, makes no sense to me.

gcgirl

[Jackass] wrote: »

I would LOVE Keatley to come back to Leinster. Particularly as Contepomi is 90% leaving after this season and Nacewa is not an out half as we have all learned by now, that leaves only Sexton as Out Half in the squad.

I think Keatley is an absolute class player and have no doubt is the future Irish 10.

Keatley still has one or two things to improve on, but I think after a couple of seasons as a starting 10 in Heineken Cup rugby he would be comfortably international class.

Me too!!

Amazotheamazing

themont85 wrote: »

Ye he is a future international out half. Been played at 13 tho Madigan slotted a huge drop goal too. McKinley should be 10 though with Foley or Gahan at centre, makes no sense to me.

Andrew Burke and Madigan seem to be ahead of him for the outhalf role with the u-20's, there must be some reasoning behind it.

themont85

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Andrew Burke and Madigan seem to be ahead of him for the outhalf role with the u-20's, there must be some reasoning behind it.

I really don't get it tbh. He, from what i have seen is the complete package at OH, a really well rounded player. Madigan is class don't get me wrong but I don't think he has the controlling authority which McKinley does. The thing is they are trying to accomadate him into the team by playing him at 13 rather than 10 or 12 which he usually plays. But Foley and Gahan are better 13s and are been held back by the selection imo, although they're 3 from 3 so what do I know!

stephen_n

Voted Keatly as the post seemed to indicate the future OH and not an immediate replacement, he is the youngest of the current contenders and probably the one with the most potential but for some reason our provincial system is not being used to create players for the Irish team and he is stuck in Connaght, no offence to the supporters of that province but the standard is below the experience he would gain playing for Ulster or Leinster in the H/Cup same problem with Sexton not getting his game at Leinster. Seems like they brought in Nacewa as an outhalf and will accomodate him no matter what which doesn't help the Irish setup at all. One thing is for sure there isn't really an immediate replacement so the IRFU and Kidney should be putting pressure on the provinces to look at this area now!

sock puppet

stephen_n wrote: »

Voted Keatly as the post seemed to indicate the future OH and not an immediate replacement, he is the youngest of the current contenders and probably the one with the most potential but for some reason our provincial system is not being used to create players for the Irish team and he is stuck in Connaght, no offence to the supporters of that province but the standard is below the experience he would gain playing for Ulster or Leinster in the H/Cup same problem with Sexton not getting his game at Leinster. Seems like they brought in Nacewa as an outhalf and will accomodate him no matter what which doesn't help the Irish setup at all. One thing is for sure there isn't really an immediate replacement so the IRFU and Kidney should be putting pressure on the provinces to look at this area now!

Thing is though even if you disregard developing for Ireland Nacewa is still ****e at outhalf and worse then an out of form Sexton. If it were Contemponi being played at 10 at least it would understandable. Then you have Keatley leaving this season because he couldn't get gametime while Keane is on the bench ahead of O'Donohue. Leinster just cannot seem to bring through good halfbacks.