MATT O’CONNOR HAS insisted that Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt has no say in whether or not Ian Madigan is selected at out-half for the province.
With Johnny Sexton recovering from the effects of concussion, Madigan is favourite to wear 10 for Ireland in the Six Nations opener against Italy on 7 February, despite his lack of extended game time in that shirt for Leinster.
However, the 25-year-old’s two most recent starts for O’Connor’s side [against Munster and Ulster] both came at out-half. Having started more often at inside centre prior to that, there was some suggestion that Schmidt’s influence was being felt.
Last October, the Ireland coach stated it is ‘absolutely untrue’ that he has any say in the selection of the provincial teams, following speculation in relation to Ulster’s use of Jared Payne at outside centre.
Leinster head coach O’Connor has backed those words up again this afternoon.
No, he [Schmidt] doesn’t have any say in our environment,” explained O’Connor at Leinster’s UCD base. “From that end, because of circumstance Mads got a couple of games at 10 because we needed him to play there.
“He hadn’t played there [before that] because of circumstance and because of the injuries we’ve had in midfield; he didn’t get the opportunities that we would have liked earlier in the season. We just need to cover all bases for our environment and there was a little bit of a spin-on to Ireland in giving Ian the opportunity to push his claims over Christmas.
“That was a win-win.”
The unfairly maligned Jimmy Gopperth was back at out-half for Leinster in last weekend’s win over the Cardiff Blues, continuing his run of ever-improving form.
O’Connor was giving nothing away with regards to who will wear 10 for Leinster against Castres on Saturday, but admitted he was impressed by what he saw from the Kiwi native in Cardiff.
“Yeah, I thought Jimmy was very good at the weekend,” said O’Connor. “I thought he controlled things very well for us. We were patient with the [synthetic] surface; the game dynamics are unique on that surface.
“I thought Jimmy in particular, but also Luke McGrath and the whole team, played those conditions well and we kept our composure to get maximum points out of that.”
It’s been a see-saw selection contest between Madigan and Gopperth for the out-half shirt at Leinster over the last two seasons, although the latter has generally been preferred for the biggest fixtures.
Captain Jamie Heaslip says he’s a fan of both players, with the duo being equally as demanding of their forwards.
They both have their unique styles, I suppose,” said Heaslip. “Mads can probably be a bit more bullish… I have to watch my words because the two of them will probably slag me!
“Mads can be a bit more bullish and Jimmy can be quite precise. At the end of the line, both of them demand quite a lot from their back unit, but definitely from their forwards. They demand quite a lot, but they’re also two players who can ad lib it with the best of them and just play football.
“They’re both equally cranky but in very different ways.”
Meanwhile, O’Connor shed more light on the reasoning behind Leinster’s decision not to appeal Jack McGrath’s three-week suspension for stamping, a ban that means the loosehead prop will miss both upcoming Champions Cup ties against Castres and Wasps.
“The timing of it is unfortunate,” said Connor. “Jack made a mistake, he got banned for it, he’s learned the lesson from it. We sought the neccesary opinions and the thinking was that you’re unlikely to change it. So we’ve moved on.
“That wasn’t necessarily the thought process [that an appeal might lead to an even longer ban].
It was about making sure that we ticked all the boxes in terms of looking at it and if there was an in for us, legally, to change that ruling, we would have. But he’ll cop it on the chin and he’ll be better for it.”
Again, O’Connor underlined the fact that national team management had no say in Leinster’s decision. Any extension of the suspension for McGrath would have risked the prop’s early involvement in the Six Nations, but O’Connor stressed that the Ireland camp had had no say.
“None whatsoever.”
Hopefully the trio make it! They are an integral part of our Six Nations squad. Keep it up lads!!!
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: lowe and Dan are part of the 6 nations squad but connors is nowhere near that squad. Hodnet, timoney, pendergast are all way ahead of him. Not to mention with conan going to 8 we have doris who can play 7 as can POM. Infact I’d rather see Scott penny get time for leinster than will.
@chris mcdonnell: I completely agree. I’d ate my own underpants if Connors is named tomorrow
@Niall Boyle: hopefully those pants are in better condition than the pair I wore on Sunday
@Niall Boyle: I’ll hold you to that
@chris mcdonnell: with the best will in the world POM cannot play 7 in the 6 Nations.
Hope they don’t rush Sheehan back this Saturday. 50 mins against the Stormers on the 25th of Jan and then into the 6 nations squad. Connors now needs to stay fit for the rest of the season if he wants to ever make an Ireland squad, at nearly 29 time is running out
Lowe is too slow. Osborne a better long term bet.
@conor carroll: Osbourne isn’t a wing, he can do the job but he’s a 12 or 15. Lowe being “slow” didn’t stop him being named in the world XV this year or being one of our best performing players.
@conor carroll: not on the wing he isnt,hes not a winger and it showed on sunday,great 12 and 15,lowe though offers far more on the left wing,breaks tackles,carries,big left boot and has vastly improved his defence,also always goes hunting for the ball and gets stuck in to mauls and excellent under the high ball,pace is not everything.
@conor carroll: Interesting statement. If you actually watched rugby you’d see that Lowe is probably quicker than Osborne in a foot race. Osborne has many, many strengths. Pace isn’t one of them.
@conor carroll: Nash is the pace merchant played all the 6 nations last year
Honestly, is Lowe still a starter for Leinster? I just really can’t see how you leave out Jamie Osborne even if he was rusty on the wing at the weekend, like his skill level for that try was ridiculous. He also has just a big left boot as Lowe.
@Eoin H: lowe is the left winger for both ireland and leinster.
@Eoin H: Osborne isn’t a winger and should only be playing there in a pinch. Lowe is also the better player generally right now
@Gary D: He definitely isn’t the better all round player generally, no way
@Eoin H: Well he has been a starter for the last 7.5 years. And he was a starter right up until his injury. Osborne is far far better utilised at 12 or 15. Let’s just play lads in their correct positions.
@Eoin H: I partially agree with you. Osbourne has an ability to hold on to passes that others would knock on and is too good to leave out of the team. Lowe is a try scoring machine as well though so not sure I’d leave him out either. I’d probably play Osbourne at 12 and leave Henshaw on the bench for impact