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Horgan calls for 'world class' Fitzgerald to get more game time in midfield

Versatile back can form a potent combination with Ben Te’o if given the opportunity, former Leinster player believes.

SHANE HORGAN WANTS to see utility back Luke Fitzgerald get more game time in midfield – for club and country.

The 28-year-old has struggled with injury in recent years and has long been touted as as an option at centre, inside or outside, but he has played most of his professional rugby on the wing.

He has experience at both midfield positions but it is the 13 shirt that Horgan believes Fitzgerald is best suited to.

“I’d really like to see Luke Fitzgerald play consistently at centre, from an Ireland perspective as well as a Leinster perspective,” Horgan said. “Luke is generally world class and I’d like to see him given a chance.”

“I think Luke is probably a more logical 13, he is very adept at an outside break, he has genuine speed and he’s a good footballer. I think he needs more time to play at 13 though because there are a lot of decisions to be made there.”

At Leinster, Horgan believes Fitzgerald and Kiwi rugby league convert Ben Te’o could form a formidable midfield partnership — combining Fitzgerald’s speed and skills with the explosive ball carrying and offloads of Te’o.

And in Leinster’s Champions Cup clash with Toulon in France on Sunday, Horgan believes the midfield battle will be crucial.

Especially with the likes of World Cup winner Ma’a Nonu and French powerhouse Mathieu Bastareaud looming as a possible partnership for the reigning champions.

“I think it is going to be an important part of the game,” the former Leinster back said.

“It has been a real issue for Leinster – I don’t think there has been any continuity in the selections at centre. That is largely down to injuries and the World Cup. And of course Gordon D’Arcy has left and Brian O’Driscoll left the year before.

“Te’o has been injured a bit but he has been impressive carrying the ball. He tends to bite in a little bit defensively so he can be exposed when the ball is moved wide but he carries the ball very explosively and he can offload.

And if we have seen anything over the past 12 months of rugby it’s how important it is to be able to offload the ball. And it comes to him very naturally.

“I think it’s important though that they don’t just use Ben Te’o as a battering ram. They need to give a little bit more thought when he is carrying that he is likely to get an offload.

“And that means your trail runners have to run slightly different angles and they have to be there to accept those offloads.”

Sky Sports has exclusively live European rugby this festive season, including the Toulon v Leinster Champions Cup match on Sky Sports 3 this Sunday from 3pm, and the reverse fixture exclusively live on 19 December.

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    Mute John Carey
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    Dec 11th 2015, 12:09 PM

    Love to see him playing 12/13 for Leinster every game with either Madigan / Te’o and 13 for Ireland with Henshaw inside him would be amazing .As he lacks the pace for an international winger but has the passing , vision and ability to make a break , he’d work great. I’d move Payne at 15 which is his natural position

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    Mute Brian Corcoran
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    Dec 11th 2015, 8:03 PM

    For Leinster, I’d like to see Te’o at 12 and Fitzgerald outside him at 13. Luke has the instincts to be a classy outside centre, as well as the distribution, the footwork, the pace and the defensive solidity – tackling and positioning. I also don’t think he quite has the out and out pace to be a truly excellent wing. Te’o at 12 – in the SBW mould – is also a mouthwatering prospect. He’s an excellent footballer, beyond his bulk and power.
    For Ireland, and Henshaw-Fitz axis sounds pretty exciting too. I like Payne at 13 – those who doubted him were given real food for thought in his recent absence against Argentina – but I do think he is even better at full back.

    Looking to the future – in green and in blue -
    it seems pretty likely that next season Henshaw will come in to Leinster, and that Te’o will move on. At the same time, Ringrose is soon to turn 21 and his class is already apparent: he needs to play. He could perhaps continue to get game time on the wing next season – a la young D’Arcy – outside a Henshaw-Fitz combo, or indeed to push Fitzgerald to make the position his own.

    In any case, of all the positions Luke has played, 13 has always seemed to me to be his best one.

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    Mute Brian Corcoran
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    Dec 11th 2015, 10:37 PM

    Martin – Fitzgerald has everything, I believe, to make a smashing outside centre. However the reality is that he has relatively little experience paying there. Was he ready to be Henshaw’s partner at RWC? Maybe – certainly I think he is a better 13 than Earls. If Luke is ever to fulfil his potential he NEEDS to be given the time to develop in a single position. Otherwise, he’s James Hooked

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Dec 11th 2015, 12:11 PM

    Luke does not pass the ball naturally and at 12 starves Teo ( our best ball carrier in the backs) of the ball. He’s a winger and sorry Shane but Luke Fitzgerald is not world class not even close to world class

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    Mute Bill P. Danger
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    Dec 11th 2015, 12:56 PM

    Chris, I agree with a lot of what you say. But you can be pretty knee jerky too. What is world class? There’s so much nonsense thrown around with the phrase, a while ago people were saying that Sexton wasn’t world class? Is world class only the 15 guys who would make it onto a World XV dream team? In that case, no, Luke isn’t. To me World Class means players who aren’t out of their depth on the world stage, and apart from a few lulls mostly due to injury, Luke has proved that time and time again.

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    Mute Unknown
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    Dec 11th 2015, 1:50 PM

    I personally don’t think LF is world class either. If he is going to play internationally, keep him away from the center and put him on the wing. I don’t think he deserves a spot there either, but thats just my preference as I always see him as a glass cannon. We should be looking for young exciting centers like Henshaw, with a mind towards 2019. Not trying to fit a LF shaped square peg into a round hole.

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Dec 11th 2015, 3:16 PM

    Bill I’m sorry but world class is not the same as international class. For a short period he looked like he was going to become exceptional but he hasen’t.
    He’s no better that earls, bowe or Trimble and those 3 score a lot more than he does.
    He is one of the few Leinster backs with decent form, himself, Isa, ringrose and Luke McGrath. The rest are leaving on past performances and nothing they’ve done this year.
    He’d not get a game for the AB’s or the Aussies or the Welsh for that matter.
    I do hope he has the game of his life on Sunday but he’s not world class.

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    Mute Trevor Johnston
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    Dec 11th 2015, 5:00 PM

    The number of world class players in Ireland could be counted on one hand.

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    Mute David Supple
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    Dec 11th 2015, 5:05 PM

    Considering Shane & Leo played with Luke I’d value their assessment more than ours. I can’t say that I’ve noticed that he does not pass the ball naturally and Jonny is well capable of a skip pass to Te’o if it’s on. He is playing well of late and long may it continue. Good luck to him

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    Mute Bill P. Danger
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    Dec 11th 2015, 5:15 PM

    We still haven’t defined world class, lads.

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    Mute PScald
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    Dec 11th 2015, 6:36 PM

    You did remember. A few caps seemed to be your definition cause you had the reason to squeeze your beloved luuuke onto that bracket

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    Mute J Wood
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    Dec 11th 2015, 6:52 PM

    It has to be broader than just the best 15 or best 23 in the world, because that’s going to change month by month according to injury and form, and leaves out far too many great players (just look at the great No. 8′s floating around — Read, Burger, Manoa, Gorgodze, Picamoles, Parisse, and now Pocock; Heaslip might sneak in there for work rate). And it has to be more narrow than just making an international side, because that would mean every part-time med student from Uruguay or Namibia who made it to the World Cup were world class, and they weren’t.

    One guide might just be the top 5 players in any given position — or top 7, or top 10, not sure where to draw the line. It probably can’t be limited to just Tier 1 nations, because there are players from lower-tiered nations who are certainly in the top 10 of their position in the world (Jacques Burger, Mamuka Gorgodze). That means you’re focusing at club level, with an eye on international Test performances.

    So maybe a guide would be the top 10 players in any given position, based first on club performances and second on Test performances. If they can crack that, then they’re world class. Fitzgerald is starting at 12 against Toulon — so the question now is if he’d make that top 10 list at either 12 or 13. Given his injury profile I’m not sure if he has a consistent enough run of games to warrant it, but he might sneak in at the far end, around 8, 9 or 10.

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    Mute Chris Mcdonnell
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    Dec 11th 2015, 9:28 PM

    David you could say be use they played with him they are more than likely friends so their opinion might be a little clouded.
    Here’s something I think will happen on Sunday. Luke jinks past the tackle line maybe beats a player but steps away from his support and either goes to ground and gives away a penalty or loses the ball he will do this at least 3 times

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    Mute Declan O'meara
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    Dec 12th 2015, 12:49 AM

    Martin the best center ye have and not a mention of him is ring rose ? Not understanding your thinking when it comes to centers , if I was the head coach of Leinster = ring rose in you at center kid and make it your own ,

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    Mute John Reid
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    Dec 11th 2015, 3:27 PM

    Hear, hear, Shane Horgan!

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    Mute Risteárd Ó Cinnéide
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    Dec 12th 2015, 9:20 AM

    I think he’s a very good winger. He’s never been proven as a good centre. He has the ability to be but has never proven it.

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