Who is the best Irish Outhalf playing for a province?

PlayerTrader13

With Sexton gone, I thought it would be interesting to see what people thought. 4 viable candidates:

Ian Keatley(26)
Ian Madigan(24)
Paddy Jackson(22)
JJ Hanrahan(21)

Host of younger lads in the academies who might be in contention in a few years, lead by Jack Carty.

Tox56

Jackson clearly right now, between him and JJ in terms of potential

bilston

JJ Hanrahan

Sure I'm biased but Jackson by a distance at the moment surely.

Hagz

JJ Hanrahan

Definitley Jackson. For my money he's the most mature and well rounded of the lot, which is impressive given his age profile.

However, I think in terms of potential, JJ Hanrahan is the best of the lot and I expect that to show next season.

ScissorPaperRock

JJ Hanrahan

Bias or not, there's no question about where things currently stand.

It's hard to say how things will stand a year from now though, especially if JJ gets plenty of H Cup exposure

Buer

Jackson by a large distance. I wouldn't be happy with any of the others starting a 6N game.

awec

JJ Hanrahan

Jackson by a mile.

jamiedav2011

JJ Hanrahan

Yup, not even a question, Jackson by a country mile.

JJ probably in second place.

Fireball07

JJ Hanrahan

Jackson easily.

Pudsy33

JJ Hanrahan

Jackson
Madigan
JJ
Keatley

That can all change very quickly however!

wp_rathead

Jackson

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Jackson

I'd rather see JJ start a six nations game than Madigan at this stage too

wittycynic

Madigan is no longer the great white hope round these parts it seems.

P_1

IMO

Jackson
Hanrihan
Madigan
Carthy
Olding
Keatley

jacothelad

I think we need to keep in mind that Jackson has had the continuous opportunity to play and has done it well.

We saw last season what Madigan could do when he got a decent run and the backing of the coach. This season seems to have been less effective but he has been playing in a team with a different coach and a different approach etc. I don't think he should be so quickly demoted. Didn't he start in the 40 point drubbing of Saints?

J.J. has always looked the real deal. Keatley is a steady hand. J.J. looks like star in the making. I wonder how much he would have developed if he'd been given the same amount of games that P.J. has enjoyed.

Lucky Ireland. None of them would be out of place in the side.

.ak

JJ Hanrahan

Jackson.

But wonder what this poll would've looked like 12 months ago

PlayerTrader13

JJ Hanrahan

.ak wrote: »

Jackson.

But wonder what this poll would've looked like 12 months ago

Jonathan Sexton would have been running away with it

ScissorPaperRock

JJ Hanrahan

jacothelad wrote: »

I think we need to keep in mind that Jackson has had the continuous opportunity to play and has done it well.

We saw last season what Madigan could do when he got a decent run and the backing of the coach. This season seems to have been less effective but he has been playing in a team with a different coach and a different approach etc. I don't think he should be so quickly demoted. Didn't he start in the 40 point drubbing of Saints?

J.J. has always looked the real deal. Keatley is a steady hand. J.J. looks like star in the making. I wonder how much he would have developed if he'd been given the same amount of games that P.J. has enjoyed.

Lucky Ireland. None of them would be out of place in the side.

I agree with all of that except the last sentence. I would be very nervous about Keatley, Madigan or JJ starting at the moment, but of the three JJ looks like he could be causing the biggest selection headaches in the near future.

jamiedav2011

JJ Hanrahan

jacothelad wrote: »

I think we need to keep in mind that Jackson has had the continuous opportunity to play and has done it well.

We saw last season what Madigan could do when he got a decent run and the backing of the coach. This season seems to have been less effective but he has been playing in a team with a different coach and a different approach etc. I don't think he should be so quickly demoted. Didn't he start in the 40 point drubbing of Saints?

J.J. has always looked the real deal. Keatley is a steady hand. J.J. looks like star in the making. I wonder how much he would have developed if he'd been given the same amount of games that P.J. has enjoyed.

Lucky Ireland. None of them would be out of place in the side.

Madigan has played what, 5 of the last 6 though.

Even in the drubbing of Northampton he didn't impress in his traditionally weak areas if you get what I mean, and the subsequent games when our forwards struggled showed him up.

Tox56

wittycynic wrote: »

Madigan is no longer the great white hope round these parts it seems.

Always the way, momentum moves quickly on rugby forums. He'll come back to form soon enough but either way I'm not sure he has that top level quality, or the potential to reach it. He was on a roll last season but the idea he would be a regular international assumed his weaknesses would be significantly improved, not sure he can bring those up to a significant level, hopefully he'll prove me wrong

former legend

jamiedav2011 wrote: »

Madigan has played what, 5 of the last 6 though.

Even in the drubbing of Northampton he didn't impress in his traditionally weak areas if you get what I mean, and the subsequent games when our forwards struggled showed him up.

I don't get this. How many out-halves play well when his forwards are getting beaten off the park? Very few. Madigan was the least of our problems in the Aviva; he kicked his goals and he kept us in the game with that tackle in the 1-on-1 with North.

former legend

wittycynic wrote: »

Madigan is no longer the great white hope round these parts it seems.

It's like that famous quote (that apparently nobody actually said);

"When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do?"

Last season, Madigan was in excellent form, now he's not. Jackson has improved steadily in that time. People have changed their views accordingly.

Which part of that do you not get?

jamiedav2011

JJ Hanrahan

former legend wrote: »

I don't get this. How many out-halves play well when his forwards are getting beaten off the park? Very few. Madigan was the least of our problems in the Aviva; he kicked his goals and he kept us in the game with that tackle in the 1-on-1 with North.

It's a huge failing in his game. Not specifically Northampton game, but he just doesn't kick well from hand, take control of a game or hold possession well. He's an all or nothing outhalf, and you also had his usual missed touch from a pen.

Gopperth is just a smarter OH at the moment in terms of game intelligence.

P_1

Madigan strikes me as being a summer outhalf, I think it's safe to say that most of his best performances have been on hard, dry tracks. Imagine what he could do in S15

Bridge93

JJ Hanrahan

P_1 wrote: »

Madigan strikes me as being a summer outhalf, I think it's safe to say that most of his best performances have been on hard, dry tracks. Imagine what he could do in S15

He was brilliant last year through the months when Sexton wasn't available so most his performances weren't on hard dry pitches I don't think.
Jackson hands down for me though.

Swiwi.

jacothelad wrote: »

I think we need to keep in mind that Jackson has had the continuous opportunity to play and has done it well.

We saw last season what Madigan could do when he got a decent run and the backing of the coach. This season seems to have been less effective but he has been playing in a team with a different coach and a different approach etc. I don't think he should be so quickly demoted. Didn't he start in the 40 point drubbing of Saints?

J.J. has always looked the real deal. Keatley is a steady hand. J.J. looks like star in the making. I wonder how much he would have developed if he'd been given the same amount of games that P.J. has enjoyed.

Lucky Ireland. None of them would be out of place in the side.

Jaco normally you speak sense!, but this is warm & fuzzy PC crap in my opinion. Firstly, I'll have to assume you didn't watch Munster play your crew last weekend. If you'd feel comfortable Keatley starting for Ireland in a major international after that display, well, I don't know what to say TBH. JJ has potential, but has not yet even nailed down the Munster 10, and Madigan is having "2nd season-type syndrome" for Leinster. Only Jackson would have me feeling confident, I totally underestimated him, he has looked pretty good this season whenever I've seen him play.

SD Sportsman

JJ Hanrahan

Jackson comfortably for me at the minute. Gone up majorly in my eyes, didn't rate him during last years six nations but now I wouldn't be scared seeing him start.

[Jackass]

.ak wrote: »

Jackson.

But wonder what this poll would've looked like 12 months ago

Or even 3 months ago!

Jackson has definitely been better than Madigan this season so far, but I don't think Jacksons best has matched Madigan at his best from last season.

It's a very very fickle topic that can flip peoples opinions 180 within two or three games.

JJ has come well into the race this season and Carty was even mentioned ahead of the likes of Keatley, presumably based on one performance. Such is the nature of form and short memories / lack of forsight of Boardsies!

It'll be interesting to see how the challange progresses over the coming seasons. One thing is for sure though, it's better to have 3 or 4 or 5+ viable options in Ireland and abroad rather than being stuck with one for the best part of a decade (not that we had a bad one in ROG).

P_1

[Jackass] wrote: »

Or even 3 months ago!

Jackson has definitely been better than Madigan this season so far, but I don't think Jacksons best has matched Madigan at his best from last season.

It's a very very fickle topic that can flip peoples opinions 180 within two or three games.

JJ has come well into the race this season and Carty was even mentioned ahead of the likes of Keatley, presumably based on one performance. Such is the nature of form and short memories / lack of forsight of Boardsies!

It'll be interesting to see how the challange progresses over the coming seasons. One thing is for sure though, it's better to have 3 or 4 or 5+ viable options in Ireland and abroad rather than being stuck with one for the best part of a decade (not that we had a bad one in ROG).

I'll hold my hands up for that one, based purely on perceived potential