IRELAND SKILLS COACH Richie Murphy believes that Garry Ringrose can add a kicking option to his game as he develops into a top international.
The 22-year old showed an addition to his vast array of skills when he landed a touchline conversion in the 55-19 win over the USA at the weekend while Joey Carbery was recovering from a knock.
Another injury to Carbery later in the game has ended his summer tour, and he now faces four to six weeks recovering from an ankle sprain.
Paddy Jackson has linked up with the squad here in Tokyo and so too has his Ulster colleague Sean Reidy, who was a pre-tour replacement for the injured Tommy O’Donnell.
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Jackson is likely to go straight into the side for Saturday’s opening test against Japan at the Ecopa Stadium, 200 kilometres southwest of Tokyo in Shizuoka. He’s here, the main outhalf in the country, so the likelihood is he will.
“He was in with us the training week (in Ireland), and he’s up to speed with everything,” said Murphy. “He’s turned himself over the last 12 months into one of the senior players around the group.
“We didn’t have him last week so it’s like getting a new player in. Luckily enough he comes in and fills that hole very easily and comfortably, which takes a bit of pressure off us. We’re disappointed for Joey, it was an opportunity for him to play 10, which has been intermittent during the season, and to get out there and run the show for Ireland. That was his first start for Ireland. Those things were going to be good so it’s a pity to see him come off injured.”
Murphy, who is also the Irish kicking coach, said Ringrose has the ability to add that option to his all-round game.
“We always need two or three placekickers on the team, with injuries or yellow card, people have to step up. Conor Murray had the opportunity against the All Blacks, he’d been working on that a long time, he’d never had a chance to do it, then all of a sudden, one of the biggest games in Ireland’s history he has a chance to kick at goal.
Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
“That’s the way we approach it with some of these guys. Garry’s not done it since U20, but I had a chat with him last week, ‘we need you to kick a few goals’, and he got back into it and knocked over a nice one from the touchline. He’ll do another bit this week, and whether he’s used or not we’ll see.
“Garry is just getting comfortable at international level himself. We are a little bit short on goal-kickers at the moment within the squad.
“Garry was looked at one as one of those guys who has done it before very successfully at schoolboy level and at U20s. He was an ideal choice to just get him out there hitting a few and he has done that very well. Is it something that we will persist with? It probably will but you might not see it again for a couple of years until he is asked to step up and do it.”
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Ringrose will continue to hone kicking skills, but it may be a while before you see him with the tee again
John Fallon reports from Tokyo
IRELAND SKILLS COACH Richie Murphy believes that Garry Ringrose can add a kicking option to his game as he develops into a top international.
The 22-year old showed an addition to his vast array of skills when he landed a touchline conversion in the 55-19 win over the USA at the weekend while Joey Carbery was recovering from a knock.
Another injury to Carbery later in the game has ended his summer tour, and he now faces four to six weeks recovering from an ankle sprain.
Paddy Jackson has linked up with the squad here in Tokyo and so too has his Ulster colleague Sean Reidy, who was a pre-tour replacement for the injured Tommy O’Donnell.
Jackson is likely to go straight into the side for Saturday’s opening test against Japan at the Ecopa Stadium, 200 kilometres southwest of Tokyo in Shizuoka. He’s here, the main outhalf in the country, so the likelihood is he will.
“He was in with us the training week (in Ireland), and he’s up to speed with everything,” said Murphy. “He’s turned himself over the last 12 months into one of the senior players around the group.
“We didn’t have him last week so it’s like getting a new player in. Luckily enough he comes in and fills that hole very easily and comfortably, which takes a bit of pressure off us. We’re disappointed for Joey, it was an opportunity for him to play 10, which has been intermittent during the season, and to get out there and run the show for Ireland. That was his first start for Ireland. Those things were going to be good so it’s a pity to see him come off injured.”
Murphy, who is also the Irish kicking coach, said Ringrose has the ability to add that option to his all-round game.
“We always need two or three placekickers on the team, with injuries or yellow card, people have to step up. Conor Murray had the opportunity against the All Blacks, he’d been working on that a long time, he’d never had a chance to do it, then all of a sudden, one of the biggest games in Ireland’s history he has a chance to kick at goal.
“That’s the way we approach it with some of these guys. Garry’s not done it since U20, but I had a chat with him last week, ‘we need you to kick a few goals’, and he got back into it and knocked over a nice one from the touchline. He’ll do another bit this week, and whether he’s used or not we’ll see.
“Garry is just getting comfortable at international level himself. We are a little bit short on goal-kickers at the moment within the squad.
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“Garry was looked at one as one of those guys who has done it before very successfully at schoolboy level and at U20s. He was an ideal choice to just get him out there hitting a few and he has done that very well. Is it something that we will persist with? It probably will but you might not see it again for a couple of years until he is asked to step up and do it.”
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