Rob Kearney

Amazotheamazing

Can anyone explain what's going on with Kearney, last year he looked odds on to be the best fullback in the world for the next few years, this year he's drifting into a fight with Murphy for his Irish place, has been played on the wing for Leinster on occasion and seems a little at sea when you compare how is playing to how good we know he can play.

On form, I think Kearney is the best fullback we have, in current form I'm not even sure he's the best fullback Leinster have (and if Fitz was fit, he'd be giving Kearney a run for a start from fullback, imo, with Nacewa and Horgan on the wing but anyhow).

We're lucky we have a player of Murphy's calibre to step in, but we should be worried one of our best players isn't playing to his usual atandard.

TitoPuente

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

I'm not even sure he's the best fullback Leinster have (and if Fitz was fit, he'd be giving Kearney a run for a start from fullback, imo, with Nacewa and Horgan on the wing but anyhow).

On current form, I'd say Nacewa is the best fullback Leinster have. Don't know what Kearney's problem is. Too much time drinking champagne flutes in Krystle possibly.

CJhaughey

That same thought struck me in the last game, he looked out of place sluggish, poorly positioned and nowhere near international level.

durkadurka

He's been dropping catches left right and centre. I remember the scarlets home game in the HEC where he must have dropped about 4 catches and let another bounce over his head. He did score 2 tries but he was pretty flaky in his basic fb job.

crisco10

I also remember the Scarlets game, but about 3 weeks before that South Africa came to town on a cold misty day and if i remember correctly he got MOM in that game for fielding everything (which was a lot) the Boks threw in the air.

He got injured early on against France. So really only had Italy before that, where he was as solid as anyone that day.

Seems very harsh to be questioning his form and attitude. He is just not reaching the incredible heights (literally!) of the lions at the moment which doesn't exactly make him a bad player. :rolleyes:

buck65

He is off form but proved himself a class act. He will come again but I would keep Murphy for Scotland.

twinytwo

as they said.. he needs a good kick up the back side

Theta

Like the above poster said I think he just needs a kick start and hopefully having Murphy fighting with him for the place will motivate him to do that.

thomond2006

He seems to have lost his confidence to counterattack, or is it a coaching thing?

Case in point: Marty's 2nd try against Italy. It all came from Poitrenaud's decision to run the ball back. You just know Kearney would have kicked that ball away.

eltonio

thomond2006 wrote: »

He seems to have lost his confidence to counterattack, or is it a coaching thing?

Case in point: Marty's 2nd try against Italy. It all came from Poitrenaud's decision to run the ball back. You just know Kearney would have kicked that ball away.

He's never really been a counter attacking fullback at least not for Ireland
anyway his long clearing kicks were a major part of the way we played last year with the way we attack other teams lineouts. Plus it's way too early to be panicking about him yet true he's had a few dodgy moments in a couple of games but every player has spells like that. He set such high standards in the summer and autumn it would be impossible to stay at that level for long.

durkadurka

Definitely a class act . Huge boot, great catcher, great physical condition, good runner, just needs to refind his form.

Crash

He has been for leinster in the past though - in fact, the Scarlets match looked like he was trying to regain that, to the detriment of his aerial superiority. Kearney when he first began starting for Leinster was an awesome attacking fullback, regularly spun out of multiple tackles to break the line and gain major yards.

Amazotheamazing

Crash wrote: »

He has been for leinster in the past though - in fact, the Scarlets match looked like he was trying to regain that, to the detriment of his aerial superiority. Kearney when he first began starting for Leinster was an awesome attacking fullback, regularly spun out of multiple tackles to break the line and gain major yards.

IIrc, he tore through Australia two seasons ago running from fullback, the tour that Bradley coached? He definately can counterattack, I think he's been asked not to by Ireland and it's affecting the rest of his game, making him doubt what comes naturally.

PhatPiggins

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

IIrc, he tore through Australia two seasons ago running from fullback, the tour that Bradley coached? He definately can counterattack, I think he's been asked not to by Ireland and it's affecting the rest of his game, making him doubt what comes naturally.

He can break the line but the move often dies with as he rarely passes, carrying the ball in one arm is always going to handicap him. I think he has a ways to go before we can claim he's a good counter attacker.

This slump in form seems to be a seasonal thing with Kearney. Loves his summer rugby though.

Co45

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

IIrc, he tore through Australia two seasons ago running from fullback, the tour that Bradley coached? He definately can counterattack, I think he's been asked not to by Ireland and it's affecting the rest of his game, making him doubt what comes naturally.

I agree. I think players like Kearney have a hard time sticking to rigid structures. When he first came onto the scene he was so creative now hes a lot more cautious and when he does run the ball he runs straight into contact to set it up.

anonymous_joe

He's just off form.

It happens.

Chucky the tree

anonymous_joe wrote: »

He's just off form.

It happens.

The problem is it seems to be a yearly thing with Kearney. The same happened last year as well.

Grimebox

I thought he was looking slow at one point playing against wales, then i realised it was shane williams who was chasing him

BoarHunter

Kearney is a very good fullback. He is trying to change his game in order to have more runs after catching balls. it takes time and his performance have shaken his confidence lately. He will come back as a better player.

always thought Lee Byrne was the best full back of the NH since a little while... he has a more complete game than Kearney and add a lot more in the attacking game.

anonymous_joe

Chucky the tree wrote: »

The problem is it seems to be a yearly thing with Kearney. The same happened last year as well.

Nobody's perfect.

I'd wonder if exhaustion might be a factor if it's occurring at the same time.

BoarHunter

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Nobody's perfect.

I'd wonder if exhaustion might be a factor if it's occurring at the same time.

exhaustion when you play in Magners league ? .... :rolleyes:

JustinDee

BoarHunter wrote: »

exhaustion when you play in Magners league ? .... :rolleyes:

Have you tried it?

Co45

BoarHunter wrote: »

exhaustion when you play in Magners league ? .... :rolleyes:

Yeah mate, You know, that same league that has produced the European Champions two years in a row.

anonymous_joe

BoarHunter wrote: »

exhaustion when you play in Magners league ? .... :rolleyes:

Players in France play more games. There are also more of them. Thus there's more rotation.

France would be unbeatable if they played less games, exhaustion's a huge factor in any sport, but in rugby even more so.

BoarHunter

Co45 wrote: »

Yeah mate, You know, that same league that has produced the European Champions two years in a row.

you mean the same teams that didn't go out of their group at the last WC ?

there is a fitness advantage in ML that make them look sharp for the 6 nations ( christmas break, less fixtures with not even the A team at all of them ) . I think it is great that Ireland, Wales and the others are able to compete in the NH otherwise this would be a disaster for Rugby and a big problem for France now that England are on the downfall.

But talking about exhaustion about a player who plays a ML ( where the players are rested as much as they need ) and mostly Hcup sounds strange to me ...

don't want to make a 100 pages out of this though, if you find my post offending, please ask the moderation to delete it.

irishbucsfan

BoarHunter wrote: »

christmas break

d'Oracle

BoarHunter wrote: »

you mean the same teams that didn't go out of their group at the last WC ?

The WC is an international competition.
You really suck at arguing sometimes.

BoarHunter

thought he was talking about the 6 nations winners...

JustinDee

BoarHunter wrote: »

there is a fitness advantage in ML that make them look sharp for the 6 nations ( christmas break, less fixtures with not even the A team at all of them )

What christmas break exactly? Since I moved back to Ireland some years ago, I've been to see Leinster play Ulster on the 26th december each time. in other words, there is no Christmas break.
If the FFR want to spread the rugby union season out until June then if thats a problem, its nobody else's fault but theirs. Don't play the victim on this however. It looks silly.

Co45

BoarHunter wrote: »

you mean the same teams that didn't go out of their group at the last WC ?

Nope. That would be Ireland which is an international team and current Grand Slam holders by the way. I am talking about the club sides in the Magners League.

there is a fitness advantage in ML that make them look sharp for the 6 nations ( christmas break, less fixtures with not even the A team at all of them )

Up until this season there was a hell of a lot less rotating of players in the Mangers than we what see in the french league. Also Christmas break? They play the day after Christmas day for godsake. And there all A team games every week.

BoarHunter

ok lads i'm saying nothing so and Kearney might me a victim of exhaustion on a tough and long season of Magners.

Chucky the tree

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Nobody's perfect.

I'd wonder if exhaustion might be a factor if it's occurring at the same time.

Exhaustion half way through a season? It really shouldn't be. Boarhunter right, pretty crazy to suggest it's exhaustion when Kearney has only played 4 ML games so far this season.

PhatPiggins

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Exhaustion half way through a season? It really shouldn't be. Boarhunter right, pretty crazy to suggest it's exhaustion when Kearney has only played 4 ML games so far this season.

But you have to factor in he's hectic social life!

Not suggesting he's a pisspot btw.

Ian_K

I reckon its that new woman of his thats the problem

Theta

She any use?

phog

I cant believe some of the rubbish that's been posted here.

flutered

anonymous_joe wrote: »

He's just off form.

It happens.

the vast majority of players in every sport go through a sticky patch, how many of the current irish squad havent ? at some stage in their careers.

nosco

God its embarrassing some of the crap people come out with. He's not playing well, simple. "Champagne flutes in Krystal!" Pathetic!

A Disgrace

Maybe, but maybe more than a coincidence too..

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/rob-lines-out-with-wagtastic-new-girl-2025113.html

It's happened to other once-touted greats (Henson, Cippriani). The high life can be a demanding mistress you know...

JustinDee

A Disgrace wrote: »

Maybe, but maybe more than a coincidence too..

http://www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/rob-lines-out-with-wagtastic-new-girl-2025113.html

It's happened to other once-touted greats (Henson, Cippriani). The high life can be a demanding mistress you know...

Oh for flip's sake . . .

Dempsey

I dunno why people are taking the huff/dismissing his personal life as root cause of his "loss of form". Do you know for a fact that it isnt?? He is human...

Maybe he's just not that good?

Yes, I've seen him play better than current but maybe its that case that he wont get back to that performance level, rules are changing, interpretations of rules are causing changes to tactics. It could be a case of the game/tactics changing into something that doesnt suit his preferred style.

IMO, SA kicking high ball down his throat all day made him look better than he was/is imo. They played to Kearney's strengths.

Victim of the hype machine imo

thebaz

just a little loss of form - when on fire , as he showed for the lions he is one of our truly great players who can mix it with the best - has he not just returned very early from injury ?

give him a break , when the big games come up I know who I'd want at full back

Heroditas

Where are some of these posters getting these ideas from?
He has always fluffed a few high balls in his time, as have most rugby players. Bar Dempsey and maybe Byrne, I'm struggling to think of an international 15 in the last 10 years who doesn't occasionally drop a few garryowens.

Kearney is excellent at returning the ball when he hits the line at pace. He's a deceptively quick runner and has a very good feint. However, his main problem appears to be the tactics placed on him, i.e. return a long ball with another long kick, usually down the centre of the field.
Granted, he appears to have a slightly weak inside shoulder when tracking across the pitch to tackle another player and can get wrong-footed but many players suffer from that. Experience will help him in that regard so he doesn't get caught out of position.

Anyone who watched the rugby last weekend will notice the kick through the centre of the field has suddenly disappeared with the new tackling/rucking laws. He also ran a lot more with the ball when he came on last weekend, compared with other matches this season. I think we're going to see him playing a lot more like when he first burst onto the scene in 2005 over the next few months.

People seem to be unfairly blaming him for conservative tactics thrust upon him by his provincial and national coaches due to the ridiculous laws that have been introduced in the last few seasons.

anonymous_joe

I love the way he's had a couple of bad games, has a girlfriend, and all of a sudden he's the next Henson.

Let's not be silly here. Well, sillier.

Zuffer

Declan Kidney keeps on saying it, yet it's hard to drill into our heads: don't get swept up by the good times, and don't get overwhelmed by the bad times.

Kearney is not as bad as we may think he is, based on recent form. I reckon he's one decent game away from being dubbed "Top 3 fullback in the world" again.

He is one of the top 30 players available to Ireland right now, and barring injury he will deliver more of the good stuff for both Leinster and Ireland in the future. What more can we ask for?

BoarHunter

guys were are you fishing your rankings like top 3 or best full back in the world ?

Dempsey

Zuffer wrote: »

Declan Kidney keeps on saying it, yet it's hard to drill into our heads: don't get swept up by the good times, and don't get overwhelmed by the bad times.

Kearney is not as bad as we may think he is, based on recent form. I reckon he's one decent game away from being dubbed "Top 3 fullback in the world" again.

He is one of the top 30 players available to Ireland right now, and barring injury he will deliver more of the good stuff for both Leinster and Ireland in the future. What more can we ask for?

Just one decent game away??

evysiren

what do you reproach him? with severity or kindly

Tim Robbins

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

Can anyone explain what's going on with Kearney, last year he looked odds on to be the best fullback in the world for the next few years, this year he's drifting into a fight with Murphy for his Irish place, has been played on the wing for Leinster on occasion and seems a little at sea when you compare how is playing to how good we know he can play.

On form, I think Kearney is the best fullback we have, in current form I'm not even sure he's the best fullback Leinster have (and if Fitz was fit, he'd be giving Kearney a run for a start from fullback, imo, with Nacewa and Horgan on the wing but anyhow).

We're lucky we have a player of Murphy's calibre to step in, but we should be worried one of our best players isn't playing to his usual atandard.

When he first arrived on the scene he was a flier, easily the fattest player in a Leinster jersey. Looked faster than Hickie. Now I think he has bulked up got stronger but not as fast.

His brilliant under the high ball but I have always been suspect about his tackling. I also think he over kicks the ball, but this is something the coaches are to blame for. Especially Kidney.

JustinDee

Tim Robbins wrote: »

When he first arrived on the scene he was a flier, easily the fattest player in a Leinster jersey. Looked faster than Hickie

The fastest player on that Leinster team was actually Girvan Dempsey.

Tim Robbins

JustinDee wrote: »

The fastest player on that Leinster team was actually Girvan Dempsey.

So the rumours say but I have mo own opinions :-)